


You aren't alone

by LadyGhoost



Series: To us, the world is different [3]
Category: Norse Religion & Lore, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Betrayal, Children, F/M, Family, Fighting, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Love, Mindfuck, Rape/Non-con Elements, Revenge, Torture, War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-14
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2018-12-02 04:51:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 35
Words: 176,321
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11502135
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyGhoost/pseuds/LadyGhoost
Summary: Thor finds Loki in his cell, he is bloody, hurt badly and raped. Thor understands that he needs to save Loki, and he asks an old enemy for help, someone Loki trust, someone Loki loved. They flee to earth and Stark Tower, something the Avengers aren't happy about. But neither Thor or Lokis old friends cares. They just want to help Loki, in anyway they can. But can they really help?





	1. The Truth can hurt

**Author's Note:**

> Hi, a shy Ghost here *waves*. Okay well first I want to say that I normally don't write stories in English, especially not long ones, so I am sorry if there is some misspelling and grammatical problems with the text. Hopefully it will not be enough to ruin the story.
> 
> Second I will say that Cara is my own character. I use her in different stories where she travels around different worlds. She started in the universe of Harry Potter, and after that she has been in a lot of other places. And well she knew magic and some other things too, things she has learned on her travels.
> 
> And third I will just say that there is kind of a part one to this in Swedish, I may translate it one day, but all you need to know is that Loki and Cara has met before. In kind of Thor 1. She is there, they fall in love, Loki let goes in the end and falls down into the abyss, and she think he dies. That's more or less the story. The rest will be explained during this one.
> 
> Fourth is that I will mix the story between the comic, movies and Norse mythology. So a bit of all. And I will try to keep the characters somewhat to themselves, but I can't promise anything.
> 
> That was all (I think), I hope you read the story and enjoy it :)

Thor was frustrated, to put it mildly. If he would be honest he was furious, and the weather outside showed it. The lighting and thunder was chasing each other over the sky. He rarely got angry at his father but in this case he did. Odin had forbid him from seeing his brother.  
"Adopted brother" Thor could hear Lokis mocking voice in his head, like he was there with him, but of course he wasn't. No, he was in the special cell his father made for him, a cell where no one was around, not even other prisoners.

Odin had said that Loki would be forced to be alone forever, with no contact with anyone, that was his punishment. And at first Thor had understood that, for what Loki had done he deserved it, not even Thor could deny that. But lately Thor had figured out that Loki wasn't alone all the time, and that was why he was angry. He had seen people walk in and out from the door that lead to Loki's cell. And Thor couldn't understand why all the guards, and in his opinion not nice looking people had access. Especially not when he hadn't. Odin had told him that no one ever needed to see Loki, he should get his food and other things he may need by magic and no one would ever get near him, but he had been lying. What Thor couldn't understand was why? And why he couldn't see his brother.  
"Adopted brother" he ones heard the illusion of his brothers voice.

Thor looked at the door that shield Loki from the rest of the world, it was well guarded and he knew that he couldn't get in there, but he wanted, he wanted to talk to Loki. He needed to talk to Loki. Thor needed to try to understand what had gone so wrong, why Loki hated them all. What had happened to him while he was gone from Asgard. And why Loki didn't come back to them. Thor needed answers, but he couldn't get them. He wanted just to see Loki and tell him that he at least didn't hate him, that he was still his family and that he loved him. He wanted to say he was sorry for failing him as a big brother, but his father had forbidden it. Thor clenched his fist before he signed, this was a problem he couldn't face head on, he needed to be smart about this, which wasn't his strongest side, he knew, he would have needed Loki here. He had needed Loki's advice to how he would be able to see him, but that was of course impossible. But then Thor smiled, he hadn't Loki's help, but he could always ask their mother, the greatest queen of them all.

* * *

Thor founded his mother in her chambers, not that he had looked anywhere else. When he entered after her permission she turned around to look at him with a bright smile, a smile she only had for him. He knew that he had one special for him and another for Loki.  
"Thor" she said and walked over to him and he took her hands and kissed them.  
"Mother" he answered and she showed him out to the balcony where she had been standing.  
"What gives me the honour?" she asked.  
"Can't a child visit his mother without a reason?" Thor said with a laugh.  
"Yes he can, but you rarely ever do. And because of tonight's weather I think you have a reason" Frigga said and looked at the thunderstorm outside. Thor rubbed his neck and stood silent for a while. He wasn't sure what he should say to her, or rather how he would say it. Frigga stood patiently next to him, waiting for him to say something. After a few minutes Thor just thought he would cut right to the chase, he was no good with fancy words like his brother or mother.  
"Have you seen Loki since his trail?" he asked and Frigga looked a bit surprise at him.  
"No I haven't. Your father forbade it." She answered.  
"I know he did, I just thought or rather hoped that he would have made an exception for you" Thor said. "You are after all Loki's mother"  
Frigga looked out in the storm.  
"For Odin that has no value. No one is allowed to see Loki" she sad a bit sad and Thor understood her. "Why are you asking me this?"  
"I want to see him. I want to tell him that he isn't alone" Thor said and Frigga smiled bright at him.  
"I am so proud of you my son" she took his hands and squeezed them before she got that look she always got when she had an idea, a look that sometimes reminded him of Loki.  
"There may be a way"  
Thor looked at her, very hopeful.  
"But it won't give you much time. Around fifteen minutes" Frigga said and Thor nodded, he took whatever he could get, he just needed to talk to Loki, even if he didn't want to listen to him.  
"That will be all I need" Thor answered and his mother smiled.  
"I will need a two days to prepare. This is magic I normally don't use" she said and he was about to ask her about it. "Don't you worry about it. I will tell you when I am ready"

* * *

Thor walked around on edge, and he complained that the time moved to slow for his friends. His friends who didn't understood why was just puzzled when he didn't say anything. Thor shared everything with them but this time he only said he couldn't say anything. This made them to know even more, but for once Thor didn't budge, he knew that he had to keep it a secret, for Frigga and his sake.

So when a guard called him to his mother's chamber, he just stopped in the middle of his sparring contest with Sif, which made her very confused. He left her at the training grounds without a word and almost run to his mother's side.  
Frigga looked far more calmed then Thor, but then she was a queen so she was very careful with showing her feelings.  
"Thor" she said when she let him in. "Everything is ready. The spell will put everyone, except you and Loki, in the castle to sleep for fifteen minutes. They will not remember or notice what happens to them. But you must be hurry and leave Loki before the spell wear off."  
Thor nodded and smiled at his mother.  
"Thank you for this" he said.  
"Tell him that I love him too, and that he will always be my son" Frigga said and tried to not let the voice reveal how much she missed her youngest.  
"I will" Thor said before he left to get closer to Lokis cell.

Thor had thought of what exact he should say to Loki the past days but he still wasn't sure, so he hoped that he would know when he saw him.  
The god of thunder walked passed the sleeping guards and ran down the stairs that was behind. He felt the cold rise from below. But he guessed that wouldn't be a problem for Loki since he was a frost giant.  
Thor had a big smile when he took the last step, he should finally she his brother again, after what was almost a year or so.

Then he walked around the corner and stopped. In front of him was a prison cell, and in it was Loki or what he thought was Loki.  
Thor couldn't grasp what was in front of him. The cell was covered in what he guessed could be nothing but blood, Lokis blood. More than should be possible, but he guessed that it had got there over time, not all at once, because then Loki would be dead, and he wasn't dead, even if it would have been better.  
In the middle of the cell was Loki, even if Thor didn't recognized him, but it could be no one else. Loki was covered in blood as well, but beneath all the blood Thor could see the bruises, broken bones, his ribbs, scars and what he rather would not think off, but couldn't stop thinking off, sperm.  
Thor saw the collar that Loki had around his neck, and the cuffs around his hands and ankles. His brother was naked, and he seemed cold, even if that shouldn't be possible.  
Thor stepped closer and Loki flinched right away. He seemed not to even see him, or rather not who it was.  
"Loki it's me" Thor said and took another step, but Loki just tried to get as far away as he could. Thor didn't know what to do, he was not prepared for this, not at all, and his time was almost up. He didn't want to leave Loki here, he couldn't. He had to do something. Thor stepped forward again, ignoring Loki trying to get away. Thor took a hold of the chain and tried to pull it free from the wall, when Loki started to scream, whatever Thor did seem to hurt him even more. Thor needed a plan and help, but that meant that he needed to leave Loki here for now, how much he hated it, he didn't have a choice.  
"Loki I will be back" he said but Loki didn't even see to hear him. Thor walked angry from the cell, before he started to run, he couldn't see Loki like that, he didn't want to see him like that.

* * *

Frigga sat on the bed with her hands in her knee, pail as a ghost while Thor walked around, angrily throwing stuff around him. No one of them know how to handle the situation. Thor had gotten back almost six hours ago and first he couldn't even talk about what he had seen. And when he finally did he just got angry, while his mother got sad. He had barely seen Frigga cried but she didn't even try to hide the tears this time. They couldn't understand how anyone could do something like this.  
They both thought about Odin, no one said it, but they both understood that he must have known that happened, he was the one that let the people inside the cell.  
Thor wanted to run to his father and confront him but Frigga had stopped him.  
"If you do that he knew that we knew and we may never be able to help Loki. Odin will just lock him up somewhere else where we may never find him" she said and Thor had given her an angry look but he knew that she was right.  
"But we have to do something!" Thor said.  
"We will, but we need help" Frigga said.  
"From who? Everyone in Asguard hates Loki" Thor said and Frigga didn't say anything in a while.  
"Then we get help from outside Asguard" she said and Thor gave her a look, he didn't follow.  
"Everyone in the other realms hate Loki too" Thor said, almost cursing his brother for only getting enemies, but then he remembered how his brother looked and he felt guilty.  
"Not everyone" Frigga said.  
"You mean?" Thor asked and she nodded.  
"But she hates us or rather me, she even thinks Loki is dead. I don't think she want to come here end help us" Thor said.  
"She may not want to help you, that is correct, but hopefully she will help Loki, and that all that matters" Frigga said. Thor stopped in his step, unsure what he should do. The woman was dangerous and she had threatened to kill him if she ever saw him again. But then again she didn't know that Loki was alive, and maybe that would be enough for her to forget about the last time. And whatever she thought of him, he knew that she had loved Loki, and maybe she could help him somehow.  
"I need to talk to Heimdall" Thor said and left the room.


	2. When you seek help from the enemy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, me, the Ghost again. So here is the next chapter. And I don't have much to say about it. Not more then that I promise that the rest of the Avengers will appear in the next chapter, or almost all of them.
> 
> And yeah I hope you enjoy the chapter :)

Thor walked up to Heimdall who acknowledged him by nodding.  
"Heimdall my friend, I need your help" Thor said and the other god turned and looked at him, almost puzzled.  
"What do you need my prince?" Heimdall asked.  
"Do you remember the woman that got here a few years ago, Loki's friend" he said and Heimdall nodded. It had more or less been a rhetorical question, Thor knew that Heimdall would remember.  
"I do remember her" he said in a low voice.  
"Can you find her for me?" Thor asked.  
"I also remember her saying that she would kill you if she ever saw you again, do you remember that?" he said.  
"I do" Thor just answered, waiting for Heimdall to find her. The other god looked out into what for Thor was nothing, but he knew of Heimdall's power and the man saw things he couldn't.  
After what felt to long for Thor's likening Heimdall spook again.  
"She is in a world far away, a world no one of us ever have visit" he said.  
"Can you bring me to her? Or her to me?" Thor asked.  
"May I ask why you want to see this dangerous woman?" Heimdall asked.  
"You may not" Thor said and Heimdall gave him an suspicious look.  
"I can bring her here, that I am sure off. I can't say the same for brining you to her" Heimdall finally answered.  
"Bring her here then" Thor said.  
"Are you sure about that? Have you asked your father?" Heimdall said.  
"We both knew the answer to that" Thor said. "This is me and my mother's doing."  
Heimdall didn't answer that, he only pulled down the sword in its holder. Thor saw the Bifrost start spinning in a familiar way.

The spinning stopped and Thor looked at the tall woman, she looked just as he remembered. He couldn't deny that she was one of the most beautiful women he ever seen, she was a perfect match for his brother. He had thought that since the first time he had seen her.  
The woman stood there in a white dress made for fighting, her blond almost white hair was a mess, just like her dress that was covered with blood. Thor saw the bow she had in her hands and the quiver with arrows on her hip, she had been in a fight. She looked puzzled around her, but it didn't seem to frighten her that she had been more or less abducted.  
Then her clear blue eyes saw him and he could see the hate in them, and in a second she had raised the bow and was aiming at him.  
"Friend Cara…" he started but that only seemed to anger her more so he ones again thought it was best to be honest and head on. "I know you hate me, I can understand why, but I need your help"  
That made her raise an eyebrow, in what Thor only could guess surprise. But he wasn't dead yet so he guessed that was a step in the right direction.  
"Would you like to follow me to the castle?" Thor asked, but she didn't move, that didn't actually surprise him. But he didn't want to talk about this with Heimdall in the room, but he guessed the god would find out anyway.  
"To be honest it's Loki that needs the help" Thor said. Cara didn't say anything in a long time.  
"I don't know what games you are playing Odinson, but Loki is dead, both you and me knows that. And abducting me here, and trying to lure me with false hope about him wont spare your life" she said with a voice cold as ice.  
"It's not a lie." Thor said, trying to figure out what to say, but he felt like the words betrayed him. "I wouldn't have called you here with false hope. I know how painful it was for you to lose him, because I lost him too. But I don't want to lose him again, and therefore I need you help"  
He more or less begged her, but what else could he do? He really needed her help, she had magic that could, or at least he hoped, could help Loki. He saw her thinking of her options.  
"I…" she started, she was unsure, Thor could tell, but he did understand her. He hadn't believed that Loki was alive at first either. "Show me"  
Thor could have kissed her at the spot, if it wasn't for the fact that she or his brother would have killed him. And he didn't want to give her another reason to kill him. He started walking with her behind him. He wasn't totally happy about it, he didn't want a knife in the back, but he had to trust her if they wanted to save Loki.

* * *

Cara had made herself invisible when they entered the castle and even if that made Thor even more uneasy it was for the best, he knew. They walked to his mother's chambers and walked in after knocking.  
"Any luck?" Frigga said very nervous.  
"I think so" Thor said, looking around hoping that she was still there. When she revealed herself he felt at ease.  
"Cara" Frigga said happily and walked towards her with a smile, not even minding her bloody dress, and offered a hug.  
"My queen" she answer and hugged the older women. Thor guessed that Frigga was the only one in Asgard that Cara didn't hate or wanted to kill. She seemed to understand that Frigga actually loved Loki no matter what, and she never stopped loving him.  
"I am relieved to see you, I or we didn't think you would come" Frigga said when she had let go of her.  
"I was about not to" she said honestly.  
"I understand why" Frigga said "But we really need your help"  
"Thor said so." Cara said slowly. "Thor mentioned Loki. And if there is a small chance of him being alive I need to know"  
"He is alive" Thor said. "But I am not sure if that's a good thing or not"  
Thor looked at Cara who didn't revile anything, just like Loki, she had mastered the art of not showing emotions, another time Thor would have hated it, but now he had other things to think off.  
"Tell me what you know"

When Thor had finished the whole story about New York, the Avengers, Loki's plans, his capturing and defeat, and finally his punishment and what he had found in the cell Cara had gone silent. The both gods observed her back as she stood in the window looking out. She hadn't said a word the whole time. In fact, she didn't seem to know what to say. When she finally turned around to face them Thor could tell that she had been crying. Her cheek was wet and her eyes was red.  
"Something you both need to know is that even if we save Loki he may never be himself" she said slowly. "Going through what he has changes people; to what you never knew. Most people break, which is basically the point"  
"Have you ever dealt with something like this?" Thor asked and she avoided to look at him.  
"I have… I have personally been through things similar to what he has gone through" she said and Thor was about to ask more, but Frigga stopped him. "That's why I can't guarantee that he will be himself."  
"You seem to be doing fine" Thor said and she shook her head.  
"I am not the same person as I was before." She said. "But this isn't about me. If we are going to help Loki we need a plan"  
"Why can't you use the same spell as mother did, and I get in and take him?" Thor asked.  
"And then what?" she asked and Thor looked at her, he hadn't thought about that. Cara didn't say anything about it. "We need a way to get into Loki, get him out, somewhere to hide while I try to help him heal, somewhere Odin won't look for him and try to take him. Preferable would be if he still thought Loki was in the cell…"  
With those word Cara started thinking, and Thor understood that she like his brother wouldn't say anything until she had an idea, so therefore he started to think too, or at least try.

* * *

They had come up with a plan, not as good as either of them had hopped, but it was the best they could think off.  
Cara should make both herself and Thor invisible so they could walk past the guards when one of the people that was allowed to visit Loki went in. They would go after him and then Cara should use a spell she had learned on her trips to turn the "guest" into Loki's lookalike and chain him up. After that come the plan Cara had the biggest problem with, which Thor didn't understand why. They should take Loki away from Asgard and to his friends in New York and the Stark Tower. Thor had been very proud of himself for thinking of it, Odin would never look for Loki there if he figured out that Loki was gone, and no one else would look for Loki there either. Cara had said it was a stupid idea, but since she didn't have a better idea she had yield.  
Frigga had promise to keep Odin busy, even if she was very angry at her husband and would like to never talk to him again, she would do it for her youngest son. But a few days later fait had it's turn, and it looked like she didn't need to spend time with Odin, because he was needed at the dwarfs. He wasn't happy about it, but as all father he had to go. And they all knew that this was the time for them to act.

* * *

Thor stood impatiently next to Cara who stood perfectly still, almost to the degree that Thor wanted to say something about it. But he knew that he had to be quiet or he would revile them.  
They had stood in front of the door for almost 3 hours and he hated it. He was almost about to give up when a man walked towards the door. The guards looked at him, but Thor guessed they recognize him, since they start to open the door, and that was their queue. Cara makes them invisible and they walk fast to the door, or Thor hopes that it's both of them, since he can neither see or hear Cara. He on the other hand have the feeling that people can hear him, just not see him.

The pair gets past the guards and walks through the door just as it closes behind them. They see them man walking down the stairs in front of them. Thor want to hit him in the head right away, but he knew that the guards may hear that and come investigate and they don't need that. They walk slowly down the stairs, and Thor feels like they weren't this long the last time.  
When they finally reach the bottom Thor hit's the man in the head and he falls to the floor. Cara removes the spell and gives him an look.  
"We do need him alive" she says and Thor looks at the man.  
"I didn't mean to hit him that hard" he said and Cara raised an eyebrow "Okay, I did, but I don't mean for him to die"  
She just shook her head and Thor lifted the unconscious man and they walked towards the cell.

They stopped in front of the cell and Thor felt as sick as the first time, he sees that Cara tries to not let it affect her but he can see that she can't manage, not fully at least.  
She turns her face away from Loki and look at the man Thor is carrying. Thor puts him on the floor, kind of gently, at least gently enough for him to stay alive. Cara don't seem to care about it this time. He looks at her when she puts her hands on the man's temple and he hears words, but he doesn't understand them. He can see the blue colours sipping out of her fingers and into the man's brain, before he sees the man changing. It takes a while, but when she is finished, he looks just like Loki.  
Cara stands up and he looks at her, and he can see that she looks a bit weaker.  
"Are you alright?" he asks.  
"I will be in a moment, at least when it comes to getting my energy back" she simply says. Thor just nods, trusting her to knew what she does. When it comes to magic his knowledge is very limited.

* * *

After sometimes Cara looks better and she then looks at Loki.  
"We need to break him free" she says and Thor nods, but he had tried it, and it hadn't worked. Loki had screamed in pain and Thor didn't want that happening again.  
"We can't just pull him free" Thor said and she rolled her eyes but didn't say anything as she carefully stepped forward.  
"Loki, it's me Cara" she said in a very calm and lovely voice. "I am going to get closer before I touch the wall. I am not going to touch you"  
Thor just look at her. He hadn't thought about telling Loki stuff like that. He had just walked towards him, more or less. But Cara did it carefully, studying Loki all the time. As soon as she got to close he tried to get away as far as he could and she didn't pressure him.  
"I know that you are afraid, trust me I know. But I will not touch you. You can go even further away from me if you want" she says and then slowly starts walking again and Loki gets further away but she does not follow. She walks to the wall and where the chain is changed to the wall. She looks at it and Thor looks at her. He is fascinated about how slowly and careful she does everything. She don't touch the chain instead she starts to cut lose the bricks in the wall, and Thor looks at Loki but he do not scream this time and Thor smiles a small happy smile.  
"Now we need to get him out of here" Thor says.  
"For that I would have preferred if I could put him to sleep, but I do not dare to use magic on him when he has the collar on him. It has powerful magic and I don't know what will happen. But I do not have time to take it off now either" she says and starts to think, but Thor is faster this time. He walks towards Loki, who does look with the most scared eyes Thor ever have seen from him, and he knows that this may hurt Loki more, but he needs to do it. Thor carefully hit Loki in the head so he passes out. Cara just stare at him for a while.  
"I guess that was for the best" she says and walks over to Loki to put a coat on him. It's too big for him, and he can disappear in it, but it covers him. Cara had also explained that it was better if it was big and he could hide in it. If it is big it doesn't feel like it's holding him down against his will and if he can disappear into it when he gets scared if may make him feel safer.  
"Can you carry him?" Cara said when she was done and Thor nodded and lifted up his brother in his arm, amazed over how light he was. Thor felt the anger but didn't let it raise, it wasn't the time or place for that.  
Cara changed the other man to the wall, with some spell before she looked at Thor.  
"Let's get out of here."


	3. When your friends are against you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the 3rd chapter, and now they will meet almost all of the other avengers. And I am sorry if they are a bit out of characters right now. I have actually never written anything with all of them before. But I will try to do my best.
> 
> So enjoy :)

Before they had exit the door Cara had created an illusion of the man that went in, and when he passed the guards they were close behind him. But no one looked at the man, and Thor was surprised that it was no alarm at the door that gave them away. It was like it was too easy, but he was happy about it.

His whole body was on edge, thinking they would spot them, somehow, he wasn't sure since no one could see them, but they would be spotted and thrown in jail too, and then they couldn't save Loki. And Thor wouldn't let that happen. Not when they were so close to freedom. All they needed to do was to get to Heimdall, who had been a bit unsure if he should help them or not, but Frigga had convinced him, Thor didn't know how but somehow she managed. When he thought of his mother he felt a bit guilty for not letting her see Loki before they leave, but Cara had said that Frigga would not want to see Loki like this, and his mother had agreed. But Thor didn't know. What if Loki never got better, would Frigga never be able to see him then? But Thor didn't have a choice here, he knew that it would be a risk by not leaving right away. So they kept walking towards the Bifrost, and their escape.

* * *

Thor looked at the familiar sight of New York when he landed on Man of Irons roof. He saw that he now was visible again and that Cara stood next to him, carefully looking over Loki, which still was unconscious.  
Even if she didn't show it, Thor could tell that she was really unsure to be here, and that almost made him unsure, but he pushed that thought aside and looked at her with a steady look.  
"This way" Thor said and lead the way down into the building.

The walked into an empty common room and Thor thought it was a bit strange, but he guessed his friends was off doing things on their own.  
"Put him down on the couch" Cara said and Thor nodded and putted down his brother, as carefully as he could on the couch. Loki made a low moan of pain but he didn't wake up.  
"Thor" a familiar voice sounded behind him and he turned around to see Steve stand there with Tony.  
"We thought we heard a loud bang on the roof, and who else could it be by you" Tony said.  
"Captain and Man of Iron" Thor said with a smile. The other two men went to great him when they saw Cara and a man on the couch.  
"Wow, you brought guests with you, and one of them is a woman" Tony said. "Do you share?"  
"Don't talk about friend Cara in that way" Thor said with a low voice but Tony just smiled.  
"It was a joke. I wouldn't won't to share her with you" Tony said and started to laugh when the woman gave him the coldest eyes he ever seen, they made him think of death.  
The Captain cleared his throat and looked over to the woman.  
"You have to excuse Tony" Steve said but she didn't answer, instead she was going back to the man on the couch.  
"Your friend is hurt" Steve said and Thor nodded.  
"Badly" Thor started to say when Steve walked closer to help but stopped in the middle of a step.  
"Thor!" Steve said and that made Tony walk closer to and look at the man.  
"Are you crazy?" Tony said. "How can you bring him here?"  
"Bring who here?" Clint's voice sounded, as he and Natasha just left the elevator.  
"Loki" Tony said. "Can you fucking believe it, Thor brought his whacked up brother here, just because he is hurt"  
"Get him out!" Steve said.  
"Better off, let's kill him" Clint said.  
"If any of you even gets close to him I will kill you all" Cara said without looking at them.  
"Great, who are you?" Clint said.  
"This is Cara, she is a friend" Thor said, trying to grasp the situation.  
"Why is she here?" Natasha asked, trying to judge the woman, but she gave her nothing.  
"She is here to help Loki" Thor said.  
"Not in my house!" Tony said and started walking towards Loki ones again, but now Cara stood up.  
"I am a woman of my words" she said and then look at the others. "And can all of you please be quite, I need to remove the chains and I need to concentrate, so I don't kill all of us"  
"All of us?" Steve said.  
"It's powerful magic, who knows what may happen if I can't control it" she said and Tony was just about to say anything when she sat down again and they all saw magic coming out of her hands, at that moment they all went quiet.

* * *

They had all stepped away even further when they felt the energy coming from the couch, none of them could shield themselves from magic, and they weren't very keen on dying.  
Thor could tell that Cara fought with the chains, a lot. He had seen her use magic the first time they meet and she didn't seem to have a problem, but with this she had. Her green magic fought the black one coming up from the chains. It looked like she absorbed the black magic, but he could see that she was in pain, a lot of pain. But it didn't seem to affect her, not now at least. But it seemed to effect his brother. He moaned in pain and started to move back and forth, Thor didn't like that, he didn't want to see him in pain. But Cara used more of her magic and it seemed to calm him down, a little bit at least, but she seemed to be in more pain.  
At that moment Thor understood what she was doing. She was taking the pain his brother felt into herself, to help him. Thor wished he could do something to help either of them, but he was forced to just observe.

Suddenly he heard a click and the chain feel off, and in the same second Loki screamed and woke up. He sat up, panting, what seemed to be from both pain and fear. The other in the room had also jumped, unexpected to hear Loki scream, especially such a sorrowful and haunted scream.  
Thor looked at Cara, she looked exhausted but she soon switched all her focus to Loki, who she sat next to.  
"Loki" she said in a calm voice, but he didn't seem to hear her. He just stared around him, in fear.  
"Loki" this time she used a firmer voice and it seemed to draw Loki attention, at least a little. He looked at her and she smiled a small smile, before she moved away a bit. "Sorry for sitting so close to you"  
Loki didn't say anything, he just nodded and curled up in his clothes and Thor smiled, it had been a good idea to give those to him.  
"I am also sorry for touching you without permission, and to make you feel pain" she said. This time Loki didn't move, he just sat there. But Thor could tell how frightened his brother was.  
"What's wrong with him?" Clint said and those words made Loki curl up even more. Cara gave Clint a deadly glance before she switched to softer eyes as she looked on Loki.  
"I know that you will not believe me, but you are safe here. And I will not force you to do anything. You decide everything" she said with a clear voice, hoping that Loki would understand. But Loki didn't say anything and she stood up very slowly, backing away from him, to make sure that she didn't threaten him. She then slowly moved over to the others as Loki laid down again.  
"Do you have something for him to eat?" she asked nicely, not any of them specifically.  
"For him? No" Clint said and Cara sighed and just shook his head.  
"Great idea Thor" she said to the god who just rubbed his neck. "Guard him, while I find my way to the kitchen and makes him something to eat"

Cara did found the kitchen very soon; it was in one of the room connected to the common room. However, she wasn't alone. Natasha and Tony had followed her into the room. Clint refused to leave the common room and it sounded like he had gotten into a fight with Thor, which made Cara take a deep breath in frustration, she needed to deal with it soon, knowing that it wasn't good for Loki. Steve seemed to just be standing in the room, or she guessed since she didn't hear him.  
"You aren't using any of the food in the fridge" Tony said, sulking and she just smiled.  
"I wouldn't try to stop me" she said and walked over before she looked inside and thought what she should make. She was torn between soup or something else. Soup could warm him and it was easy to eat if he was in pain, but it could also remember him of warm sperm going down his throat, and she didn't want that. She decided to make something else, and she ended up with salmon, it was easy to eat and had a lot of nutrition.  
She felt the other watch her but she didn't say anything about it as she started to cook.

When she was done with the food and had avoiding answer the other twos question about who she was, what happened to Loki and all the other things she had expect them to ask, she had given them two plates with food before she walked out to the others and handled them each plate. They all looked surprised at her but she didn't pay them any attention as she walked over to Loki.  
"Hi Loki. It's me again." She said. "Just coming with food."  
Cara walked around the couch and sat opposite to him, on the table, still far away, careful not to get to close.  
"I brought you food. Do you want to take it yourself or shall I put it on the floor in front of you?" she asked and Loki seemed to think about it and she didn't rush him. After a few minutes he reached out his hands and she handled him the plate.  
"Be careful it's warm." She said gently as she started to eat on her own food, trying to get some energy back. She saw the other sitting at another table, actually eating their food. They still looked at them but they stayed away. Thor may have had something to do with it, since he sat in the way for them, giving them looks all the time. He wouldn't let any of them hurt Loki, at least not when he was like this.  
"Luckily Banner isn't here" Steve said.  
"Luck? I would love for him, or rather the other guy to be here and throw Loki out of the window!" Tony said, and Cara saw that Loki flinched at those words.  
"Loki" she said nicely, trying to make him not listening to the others. The god looked at her. "Eating the food is the best compliment you can give a chef"  
Loki looked at her then on the food and slowly took another bite and she smiled.  
"I hope you liked it. I tried to think what you liked to eat the last time we saw each other. And I remember you liking fish." She tried to talk about stuff that could make him not listen to the others or think about anything.  
"I also remember that you didn't like corn. A very odd thing not to like" she said with a smile and Loki gave her a glance, and for a second she thought she saw a smile, but as fast as she thought she saw it, it was gone.

* * *

After they all had eaten she knew that Loki needed sleep, but she wasn't sure how to make him sleep and feel safe, or protect him from the others. She needed to choose her words very carefully, not to scare him.  
"Loki, I was thinking of sleeping for a while, or maybe closing my eyes are a better description, since I don't think I can get much sleep tonight." She said, hoping that he would understand that she understood, she didn't think he would but she could still hope.  
"Would you like to stay awake?" she asked, not saying sleep, so he could think she meant something else.  
Loki seemed to think about it, and she knew that he thought about. Was the sleep worth it? You could get more energy to fight, but you could also be ambushed in your sleep, and then it wasn't worth it. And if you wasn't ambushed, you still had the nightmares.  
But after a while Loki shook his head. Cara smiled, he was willing to try to sleep and that made her happy.  
"Okay, then I know. Would you feel comfortable to sleep here on the couch? Do you want to sleep on the roof under the stars? Or maybe in a room?" she asked nicely. She wasn't sure what he would prefer. She had slept under the stars, where she had no walls, but that also meant that she always was on her guard for people.  
Cara waited patiently on an answer and Loki then pointed at a room and she nodded.  
"Then I am going to get your one. I will be right back, but I will tell you when I am getting close" she said and stood up carefully and walked over to the others who sat at the table.  
"Can I ask for a room and get one or do I need to just take one?" she asked and looked at them.  
"I have one I can lock him in" Tony said and laughed but Cara didn't found it funny at all.  
"You are dangerously near death" she said and gave him a look that showed that she wasn't joking.  
"He can take mine" Thor said and Cara thought about it but then shook his head.  
"That's very kind of you Thor, but I think he needs his own. A room that he can turn into his, so he feels safe" she explained and Thor nodded understandingly.  
"I think we can get him a room" Steve finally said.  
"Always the hero" Tony said.

* * *

Cara had looked at the room, it wasn't to small and the windows was safe so Loki couldn't jump. She wasn't sure if he would try or not, or if it even would hurt him if he did, but she didn't want to take the chance. She also looked at the door and changed the lock and made sure there only was two keys. One to her and one she should give Loki.  
After that she walked back to Loki.  
"Hi, me again" she said and walked towards him. "Your room is read, if you still want it?"  
Loki nodded and slowly stood up but he lost his balance and fell back down on the couch.  
"Do you want to try again? Or do you want me to help you?" she asked, guessing he didn't want anyone near, in anyway. Loki stood up again, on unsteady legs, but he stood.  
Cara had made Thor make sure the other wouldn't get near Loki, and Thor seemed to be doing fine.  
"This way" Cara said and walked slowly through the tower, keeping an eye on Loki. When they arrived she let him go in first, or rather giving him the chance to change his mind. But after a while he walked through the door and she walked after.  
"I hope you like it" she said. "I am slowly going to reach into my pocket and receive a key I will give you"  
Loki first looked terrified and she understood that glance so well.  
"It's for the door, but I will not lock it, that's up to you. But I give you the option. You can lock yourself in here to feel safe, and lock out other people. But if you don't want to lock it you can leave it unlocked."  
Cara took up the key and placed it on the desk and Loki looked at it with horror.  
"You are the only one with one. So if you don't want, no one can get in here" she smiled, it was a lie, but she was the only one with a key, except him, and she hopped she would never need to use it.  
Then she flipped her hand and a little shining orb appeared in her hand.  
"This is also for you. If you ever want me to get in here for some reason, you just squeeze it. Then I will get here, knock on the door, and you can let me in if you want. Or I will sit outside the door and just talk to you" she said in a friendly voice. "It's all up to you"

She then backed to the door, but left it open so Loki could decide for himself what he wanted to do.  
She slowly walked away from Loki's room back to the common room where the other was and she sank down in the couch Loki just had been in. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally. It had been a long day, and she hadn't have a moment to relax, and she knew that she couldn't do that yet either, but she needed to lay down for just a short time.

"Cara is everything alright?" Thor asked and she looked up at where he was standing.  
"In a lot of pain, and I have little energy. But I have been worst, so need to worry" she said with a weak smile, and Thor nodded at her.  
"You took his pain, right?" Thor asked and she could see the others getting closer too and then sit down around her in other chairs or on the floor.  
"Only what he would have received from me removing the chains and the collar, that was the only one I could take" she said.  
"Was…was it a lot?" Thor asked and she smiled at him.  
"I think you will feel better by not knowing how much" Cara said and Thor looked at her, from what cryptically answer she had just getting him, he understood that it must have been a lot of pain.  
"Thank you for helping me saving him" Thor said and she nodded.  
"We aren't out of the woods yet, we can't even see the end" she said but then smiled. "But thank you for letting me know that he was alive"  
Thor just nodded at her, she was still mad at her for failing Loki the first time, but for now she was willing to let it go.  
She then turned to the others with a weak smile.  
"I can now answer all of your questions, because I can tell that there is a lot"


	4. Great to meet you Jarvis

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So me, the Ghost again. Well I am not 100% happy with the chapter, but that's because I am still struggling with writing the avengers. But yeah I hope I will get there.
> 
> So I hope you enjoy it :)

Thor was watching Cara to see if she was okay. He was worried about her, he wasn't sure why, maybe because she used up a lot of magic and energy. He knew that regaining energy could take a while for magician, and he didn't want her to collapse too, not if they should be able to help Loki.  
Then he knew that she was in a lot of pain, both physical and mentally, and she had told him and Frigga that she had gone through something similar, and Thor could only guess, but he thought that it may affect her seeing Loki like this.  
But mostly he was worried about what the others would do, and what she may do if they did something. Thor wasn't sure about what she was capable off, not fully at least, and he didn't want to know either. Because he knew that someone would get hurt if he saw what she could do.

"Fine, I start" Tony said after a few minutes. Cara had said that they could ask their questions, and if no one else started he would. "Who the hell are you?"  
Cara who had closed her eyes opened them for a short while to look at him.  
"To make a very long story short, my name is Cara, I am a magician who travels around different worlds" she started. "I meet Loki a few years ago when I visited Asgard for the first time. We become friends who finally felled in love. And then…well then I thought he died"  
She could tell that they all was staring at her.  
"You loved him?" Clint said, and she could hear how disgust he was.  
"Still do" she just answered.  
"Wait? What? How?" Steve was puzzled and Cara sighed.  
"How? Well I would say that I see or saw a man no one of you did. I could understand him on another level. This was before he tried to kill Thor and the frost giants, which I do not blame him for." She said.  
"You love him after all he did?" Clint said.  
"I wasn't here when he did most of the things, and I am not the right person to judge him. I have done similar things. Not trying to take over a planet myself, but still, I do not judge him, especially not when I don't have the whole story." Cara did close her eyes again, no need to look at any of the others.  
"You are crazy, loving a murderer" Tony said.  
"I have heard that love is blind. And it's not like I am asking for your approval." Cara answered. "And I can bet that all of you have killed people on your mission. People who are fighting for the other side, so don't you deserve love?"  
"We don't kill innocent" Tony said in a firm voice.  
"But you still killed! Even if the people you kill aren't innocent, you still ended them. If they had a family, or if they had their reasons for doing what they did, do they still deserves to die? You only see the evil in front of you, not the person behind it or the reasons." Cara said. "But I won't judge you, you like everyone else does what you think is for the best. And I don't ask anyone of you to even understands, especially not when it comes to Loki, something his own family couldn't do"  
Cara gave Thor an look, and he looked away. He knew that she was right, no one of them had understood Loki. Thor didn't forgive him for his actions, but maybe if he had been a better brother it would never have happened. The others was looking at them in silence, not sure what to say.

"What happened to him?" Natasha asked after a moment of silence. Cara new that was what they really wanted to know.  
"We don't really know. I found him like that and I rather not think about it" Thor said.  
"You don't know?" Tony said. "How can you not know?"  
"Father forbade everyone from seeing him." Thor said.  
"So how did you see him?" Clint asked.  
"Well me mother used some magic. He is my brother, I had to seem him" Thor said.  
"Look at you big guy, breaking daddy's rules" Tony said in a lighter voice. "And you? Did you also break the rules?"  
"There wasn't my rules to break, but yes I did" Cara said. "Thor contacted me, told me what happened and I helped him save Loki"  
"Just like that?" Clint said. "Sounds to simple"  
"Nothing about this is simple. Freeing Loki from his cell, was the easiest part, freeing him from everything else won't be" Cara sighed, she knew that Loki had a long journey in front of him.  
"Why do we even want to free him. Like this he isn't a threat" Clint said.  
"If you was where he is, wouldn't you want to be free? Or would you prefer for your friends to leave you there?" she asked.  
"No, but I am not an monster" Clint looked her in the eye.  
"Depends on who you asking. I could call your monster for saying those words" she just answered and stood up, she needed something to drink.

When she entered the kitchen she could hear the others talking, and they were upset. Cara could fully understand why. They had showed up with an enemy at their house and forced them to take him in. But she also know that they hadn't any other place to go.  
She took one of the glasses from the shelf and filled it with water. And soon she heard steps behind her.  
"You have something else you are wondering Captain?" she said without looking at the man.  
"Will he be okay?" he asked and Cara almost dropped the glass, surprised by the concern in his voice.  
"I don't know. It depends on what they have done to him, and how much they have broken him" she said in a low voice. "It's all up to him, I can only try to help him"  
"He may be an enemy, but I have never liked torture, not on anyone." Steve said and she turned around and nodded.  
"It's an awful way to treat someone" she said.  
"You been there?" he asked and she nodded again.  
"More times then I wish to think off. But I have always had people there to help me. In the past Loki was one of them" she confessed and Steve seemed to understand. "The first time was worst for me, and how awful it may sound, it gets easier with time"  
"I had some friends in the army that been through somethings, they never become themselves again" Steve said.  
"That's always a risk. But I am not going to give up on him. No matter what you and the others may say" she said and took another sip of the water.  
"I may hate him for what he have done, but he should be grateful for having a friend like you" Steve said and she smiled.  
"He may be when he becomes himself again, or rather if he becomes himself again" she said and putted down the glass and walked out to the others who had quiet down.

"He can stay" Tony said when she walked over to them and she gave him a suspicious glance. "Only because Thor threatened to destroy the building otherwise."  
"I see" she said with a smile. "Threaten your friends, may not be the way to go here Thor"  
"They threatened my brother first" Thor answered and she laughed a warm laugh and the others looked surprise at her.  
"Well they had their reasons. And it's lovely to see that you are sticking up for your brother, but don't make enemies on the way." Cara said and looked at Thor who just shrugged his shoulders. "But I am grateful that you are letting him stay, even if it's under threat. And I promise to stop him if he tries anything"  
"Good luck with that" Clint said and Cara just shacked her head.  
"I bid your good night" she said and left the room, to go to one near Loki's.

* * *

"This is madness, letting him stay" Clint said when they all had gathered down in Tony's lab, well all except Thor and Cara.  
"Then what do you want us to do Bird Man? Fight Thor and that crazy woman?" Tony said from where he was laying on the floor. The others went silent, they knew that fighting Thor was a bad idea, sure if he was alone they could take him, but with the woman helping him they wasn't so sure.  
"What will we tell Banner when he gets home?" Natasha said.  
"The truth. Maybe he can throw him out" Clint said. They all knew that Clint was mad about what happened the last time he meet Loki, being put under his spell and forced to do things he didn't want to.  
"Maybe" Tony said.  
"We aren't throwing him out" Steve finally said.  
"What?" the others asked, surprised by his answer.  
"Have you lost it?" Clint said.  
"Trust me I don't like Loki more than any of you do, but it seems like he is the victim here. And if there was anyone else you wouldn't throw him out" Steve said.  
"No because anyone else wouldn't be a crazy, power hungry villain" Tony said.  
"He still has been through what looks like really bad torture. Did you guys even see him? He was afraid of things we said! Right now he isn't a threat" Steve said.  
"She enchanted you" Clint said. "She must have! Don't you see that it's a trick? They want to kill us"  
"She did not enchant me! And Thor would never want to kill us, he wouldn't even bring Loki here if he thought Loki would kill us. Thor is our friend" Steve said.  
"Not sure that he would be if we stepped between him and his brother" Natasha said and the other went silent. They know that there was a risk that Thor would turn on them if they tried to hurt Loki.  
"We can't do anything about the situation anyway, not right now. So let's try to get some sleep, and talk more about it in the morning" Steve said.  
"Sleep, when he is in the house?" Clint said and Tony laughed.  
"I am sure Natasha will protect you if you are scared" he said.  
"Very funny" Clint answered and throw a pillow in Tony's face.  
"Of to bed!" Steve said.  
"Yes Mom" Tony and Clint answered and they all emptied the lab.

* * *

When Steve and Natasha got up in the morning, always waking earlier than the others they soon found out that they weren't the only ones awake. When they walked into the kitchen they saw Cara standing there preparing breakfast, not only for Loki but for all of them.  
"Good Morning" Steve said and she turned around and smiled.  
"Morning" she answered. "There is coffee and tea over there and food on the table"  
She pointed to the counter to her left and then the table and the two avengers looked in the direction and saw the food. There was more breakfast then there normally was. They had freshly baked bread and juice. They had different types of eggs, oatmeal, meat, fruits and vegetables, there even were cookies.  
"Where did you get all this?" Steve said a bit puzzled, kind of sure that there hadn't been that much food in the fridge.  
"I went shopping. Loki needs real and good food to get his strength back, and your fridges didn't have too much to offer for breakfast" she said easily. "And I thought you guys may want some too, so I just did a little extra"  
"A little?" Natasha said and Cara smiled.  
"A lot if it feels better. I know that Thor eats a lot and I guess some of you aren't any different" she said and started making pancakes.  
"How long have you been up?" Steve said, thinking that making all this must have taken a long time.  
"A few hours. Didn't get much sleep, and since I couldn't do some of the other things I normally do when I can't sleep, I started cooking food instead" Cara explained. "So just take if you want"  
The other two give each other a suspicious look, but then started to eat.

When Cara almost was done with plating everything for Loki on a tray, the other three had joined the table.  
"This is the best pancakes I have ever eaten" Steve said and Cara smiled.  
"Thank you. Glad you liked them" she answered before she took the tray and walked towards Loki's room.

She stopped in front of the door which Loki had closet and she smiled, at least he felt safe enough to be in a room with a closed door.  
She knocked gently on the door.  
"Good Morning Loki, it's just me, Cara" she said in a calm voice. "I made your breakfast, didn't know what you wanted so I made you a little bit of everything"  
She stopped for a short moment and try to hear if Loki had moved but she couldn't hear anything.  
"I am not sure if you want to eat alone or if you want company. So I will wait out here for five minutes, and if you don't feel like open the door I will leave the food here, and you can take it if you feel like it" she explained and started waiting.

* * *

When Loki hadn't open the door she had left the tray as she said she would and then walked back to the kitchen, giving him the space he wanted.  
The others looked at her when she got back.  
"No luck?" Thor said and she shrugged her shoulders.  
"Can't blame him for not opening. I left the food if he want it" she said and poured herself a cup of tea and sat down.  
"But he must eat!" Thor said and was about to stand up when she stopped him.  
"When he feels safe enough he will. It was just luck that I managed to get him eat yesterday, he was probably in shock and just did it without thinking." She said and Thor looked at her, but he didn't fully understand. "Right now I guess he waits to see if the food I gave him yesterday does anything to him, like drug him or poison him. He want to know that it's safe to eat the food"  
"Why would he think you poisoned the food?" Thor asked.  
"He may not think I did if he was sure that I wouldn't hurt him…" she started.  
"You would never hurt him!" Thor said and she give him an look that asked him to be quiet.  
"You are right, but at this moment he don't know that. I am not even sure if he knows that it's me. He trusts no one, and he will not do in a long time. So there for I will not force him to eat if he doesn't feel safe" she explained. "Since it's very common to give prisoners false hope by giving them food and then hurt them."  
"Why would anyone do this to him?" Thor asked.  
"You have to ask your father about that" she answered and Thor didn't say anything, knowing that his father most likely knew about it, but he didn't want to believe it.

The others had listen, trying to get more information about the situation. But they had been careful to stay out of the conversation, mostly because they had nothing to say. They still weren't happy about the situation, not at all. But at this moment they know that they couldn't do anything else then collect information.  
"Thank you for the food" Steve said and Cara who had been staring into her teacup looked a bit puzzle at him for a short moment before she smiled.  
"It was my pleasure" she only answered before she stood up and started to clean the table. She needed something to distract her own feelings and thoughts, she needed to stay focused for Loki's sake.  
"Need any help?" Steve asked and she shook her head.  
"I can manage. You guys go and do what you normally do" she said and went into the kitchen and looked around to where she would put everything.  
"Do you need help with anything Lady Cara?" an unfamiliar voice said and Cara looked around but she didn't see anyone. "You can't see me. I am Jarvis, Mr. Starks AI. I exist in every room, in the air without being there"  
Cara smiled and then laughed.  
"Then it's great to meet you Jarvis" she said.  
"Likewise" he answered. "Can I assist you in anyway?"  
"That would be very helpful" Cara answered and when Jarvis guided her through where to put all the dishes, find boxes to the food and the best way to clean Tony's kitchen, it went very well.  
"I thank you for the help" Cara said.  
"My pleasure" Jarvis answered.

* * *

Thor was pacing over the floor and the others was starting to get irritated when Cara walked in.  
"I thought you all had better things to do then just sit around" she said with a smile. "Or is it that you don't dare to do anything afraid Loki will run out and kill you all?"  
No one answered her and she just rolled her eyes, choosing not to say anything more about it.  
"Thor, I think you irritate your friends" she said instead and the god of thunder stopped and looked at her and then his friends.  
"Can't help it. I am worried about Loki" Thor said and Cara nodded.  
"I can tell, but that won't help him, you or anyone else" she said patently. "So why not do anything else?"  
Thor gave her a look to see if she had any ideas.  
"What about some sparring?" she said and the other looked at her.  
"With Thor? Do you wish to get hurt?" Tony said.  
"Who do wish to get hurt?" she asked before she looked at Thor.  
"I do not wish to hurt you, Loki would never forgive me if I did" Thor said and Cara sighed.  
"I wouldn't suggested it if I couldn't handle it" she said and Thor nodded a bit unsure. "So come one Thor, you know that I can handle myself"  
Thor did know that, he remembered that she had handled herself without a problem in Jotunheim a few years ago.  
"I accept" Thor said and she smiled.  
"I need to see this" Steve said and Cara smiled.  
"If the simple fact of a sparring contest can amuse you, then all of you are welcome to come and look" she said and most of them thought it was a good idea. "And if you are worried about Loki I am sure he won't go anywhere, and if he does I think Jarvis can tell you?"  
"You are correct about that Lady Cara." Jarvis said and she smiled.  
"See, everything will be fine" she said and the all nodded. "Give me a second to tell Loki and then you can show me to the training ground"

Cara walked slowly to Loki's door and smiled when she saw that the tray was gone.  
"Loki" she said with a soft voice and knocked. "I am just letting you know that I am going to the training grounds with your brother a few floors down."  
She waited for an answer but didn't get one so she continued.  
"If you need anything, just press the orb and I will be right there" she said and then she walked away from the door and back to the others who waited for her.  
"Are you going to sparring in that?" Tony said and looked at her. Cara looked down at her black trousers, the blouse and her heels and then smiled at him.  
"I am" she said. "You never know when you may need to fight, and at that moment you may not be dressed for it. There for it's better to be used to fight in whatever you are wearing"  
"Waste of clothes" Tony said and Cara laughed.  
"You can always get new clothes, you can't get a new life" she said when they took the ride down in the elevator.

* * *

Cara looked around, it was a typical training area, and she stepped out, waiting for Thor.  
"Do you want to have any rules?" she asked Thor and he thought.  
"No weapons?" he asked.  
"At least not Mjolner, because then I know I will lose" she said and he laughed.  
"And my brother will hate me forever" Thor said.  
"But we can work without weapons, was a long time since I did" she said and felt the floor under her feet, it should be hard to move around in the heels, but she had done it before.  
"How hurt will you be when I hit you?" Thor asked.  
"If you hit me!" Cara corrected him.  
"If" Thor said.  
"I am not sure. But I heal pretty fast, so hopefully not too bad. But if I do get hurt, I have learned another lesson" she juts said.

The other sat at the side and watched them in fascination. They had all thought that Thor would own the match, without a problem, but they had been wrong. Thor was without a doubt the stronger one, but he was almost ridicules slow compared to Cara, he had a hard time following. She avoided him for the most time with ease, and they were impressed.  
She was agile enough to jump around in the high heels, even kicking in them.  
Thor was also impressed, at first at least, then he got frustrated, it was just like fighting his brother. He was also fast and agile, and for the most time he could avoid him, just like Cara did, which made him angry. Thor preferred to fight head on, just hitting each other until someone felt, he rarely ever dodge a hit, but he could also take it.

Cara saw the blow coming towards her and she jumped out of the way and that made Thor lose his balance. When he stumbled forwards Cara turned around on her right foot, hitting Thor with a hard kick with her left leg. Thor who already was out of balance felt down on his face, which made the other laugh.  
Thor mumbled some angry Norse curses and rubbed his nose before he turned around and joined in on the laughing.  
"Well done friend Cara" Thor said when he stood on his feet again. "You must had a great teacher?"  
"I had several teachers, but they were always great" she said thinking briefly on the ones teaching her. "And you fought well too"  
"Beaten by a girl big guy" Tony said with a smile.  
"What do you say? Today wasn't my day" Thor said with a smile.  
Steve handled Cara some water and she nodded as a thanks before she started to drinking.  
"Thank you for beating him. I am going to remember this for the longest time" Tony said happily and Cara raised an eyebrow.  
"I can take you on too" she said and Tony laughed.  
"I don't do that kind of thing. Could hurt my good looks" Tony said and Cara was just about to answer when she felt a signal from the orb she had given Loki.  
"What good looks?" she said sarcastically before she dodge the towel Tony threw after her as the other laughed. "But Loki did call on me, so I will now leave you to your own."  
Thor stepped forward but she raised a hand.  
"I will go alone Thor. We don't want to him to think that we are going to attack him" she said with a smile and stepped into the elevator and the smiled disappeared.  
"Worried Lady Cara?" Jarvi8s asked and she nodded.  
"Please take me to the floor Loki is on" she said and the elevator started moving, and she tried not to be worried to why he called for her.


	5. A Promise from the past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again, me the Ghost. Well kind of happy with this chapter. Thought it would be nice to focus a bit more on Cara in this chapter, and to see more things from her perspective. So I hope you guys enjoys it too.
> 
> So have fun reading :)

Cara tried not to panic, because to be honest it would be ridicules. Loki could have called on her for anything. Maybe he just wanted more food, some company or maybe he wanted to leave. It could be anything, but she had a feeling that Loki wouldn't call on her for such tribal stuff, no she felt like it was something else.

"Jarvis can you see if Loki needs anything?" she said while she rode the elevator.  
"To be honest I can't see anything in his room Lady Cara" Jarvis answered her and she was surprised.  
"You can't?"  
"I can't. This may have to do with Loki's magical powers, I am not created to handle them" Jarvis said and she understood that he was just trying to calm her down. The fact may be true, but she still had her doubts.

* * *

Cara left the elevator as soon as the doors opened and at first she wanted to run to Loki's room, but she knew that it may just scare him even more. Instead she forced herself walking calmly towards it.  
When she got closer she could her Loki's voice, and it sounded like he was in pain. Her first thought was that it was a nightmare, and that may be the reason he called for her. That made her at ease first. Nightmares was natural and whatever Loki would need to get over them she should do.  
But when she got even closer she could hear a second voice, a voice belonging to another male. She couldn't hear any words, or who the voice belongs to. But as she got closer she could hear the moan loud and clear, and she knew what was going on.

When Cara reached to the door, she slowly touched the knob, careful to not make any sounds. She wanted to act faster, but one of her teachers had thought her many years ago, that rushing into things wouldn't help. The key to act fast was that you didn't acted too fast, because then you made mistakes.  
She felt that the door wasn't locked, so she carefully opened. She silently stepped inside.  
What she saw in front of her felt was all too familiar, tho she had been situation herself far too many times.  
Loki was standing on all four in his bed, stripped by his clothes, and looking at the clothes on the floor it hadn't been in a nice way. Behind him, holding a firm grip Loki's hip, and the other on was holding his hair, forcing his head back was a man.  
The other man violently throwing into Loki from behind, not caring how much it hurt him. The blond man was making loud groans while doing it.  
"You are always my good boy Loki" the man said and that voice had Cara react, she knew that voice, she had met this person before, and she had already hated him back then. The glances he had given Loki back then had made her sick. The man always looked at Loki like he owned him, and that he should have Loki no matter what. Loki had told her that the man had try to flirt with him for years, always with the goal to get him into bed. Loki, no interested in the man had always declined. The man had been very furious when Loki had chosen her instead of him, and he had sworn to have Loki one day, and it looked like Odin made it possible for him. Cara stood there angrily for a short moment before she calmed herself, telling herself to act in anger would scare Loki more.

"Hello Fandral" Cara said in a very unfriendly but calm voice. Almost to calm. The man stopped half way into Loki again, and looked at her with surprise. When he stood there perfectly still, Cara stepped forward and threw Fandral to the floor. The warrior tried to grasp the situation.  
"Cara" he finally said when she took another step in his direction. "How lovely to see you"  
She smiled at him, a smile that made Fandral swallow, and become really nervous.  
"Wish I could say the same" she said and revealed a knife in her hand.  
"I was just…just" he said when she stopped in front of him.  
"You know, I remember a talk we had a few years ago, do you?" she asked and at first Fandral didn't remember. "I said to you, that if you ever got near Loki in any way he didn't want to, and if you especially touched him I would castrate you"  
Fandral's eyes widened in fear, he remembered.  
"I am a woman of my words" she looked at the knife in her hand, with her other hand she tied him down with magic. "I am no expert at this, so it may become very messy, but I will not care about that"  
"Please….Please don't" Fandral said and she gave him an look.  
"I think I prefer that you can't talk during the operation. Not only for my sake, but also for Loki's" she said and snapped her fingers and Fandral become mute, before she leaned forward with the knife.

* * *

When she was done, making sure she took her time she left him on the floor, after making sure he hadn't past out. She didn't want him to get away from the pain.  
She then turned her eyes towards Loki who sat in the corner of the bed with a blanket around him, trying to get as far away from them both. Cara sat down on the floor below the bed, but a bit from it.  
"Loki?" she said in a soft voice and he looked at her with scared eyes. "I am sorry that you needed to see me like this"  
Loki didn't say anything, and there was really nothing for him to say.  
"But I want you to know that I will always be there to protect you, at least as long as you want me to" she said and slowly Loki nodded and she smiled happily. She then slowly stood up.  
"I am going to need to call the others, they need to get Fandral" she explained and Loki looked at her with scared eyes. "They are not going to touch you in anyway. No one is! But I need their help. Do you understand?"  
Loki just gave her a frighten look and she thought for a second, she understood why, he wasn't comfortable with a lot of people around, and she was surprised he even could look at her. But maybe he knew who she was and that she would never hurt him, she could at least hope.  
"Would it make you more comfortable if they couldn't see you?" she asked and he nodded right away and she smiled.  
"I can make you invisible for them, I can still see you so if you want to show me something I will know. If you are alright with that?" she asked and Loki seemed to think about it but then nodded in agreement. Cara first thought that she should cast the spell on Loki but then she thought that it may be unwise, not knowing what they had done to him.  
"Can I have the orb for a short time?" she asked and he carefully handled it over to her. "Thank you"  
Cara let it fly above her hand as the red magic entered it, and she thought she saw a flash of curiosity in Loki's eyes before it disappeared. When she was done she handled it back to Loki.  
"You can now turn invisible for other people, except me, just by holding the orb and wishing for it to happen" she said and Loki hold the orb and guessed he tried it. "I am now going to talk to Jarvis, he is a system that exist in every room, but he isn't a person. Thought I would tell you so you wouldn't be scared"  
Loki gave her an unsure look but she just smiled before turning to the celling.  
"Jarvis?" she said.  
"Yes Lady Cara?" Jarvis answered.  
"Can you call the others and ask them to get here?" she asked, not really sure towards the AI could do.  
"Already have, they should be on their way, as soon as they agree on going" he said and she nodded.  
"They are all coming?" she asked.  
"Looks that way, they are all stepping inside the elevator now" he informed her.  
"That's great, thank you" she said and was just about to turn to Loki again when she thought of something.  
"Tell them that Thor can't come in here. He will just make it worse!" she said, looking at Thor's friend, knowing that it would torn south as soon as he would see him. "Can you ask if Natasha would do me the favor of getting in here, feeling that she as a woman wouldn't be as threatening"  
"Have you met miss Romanova?" Jarvis asked her and she smiled.  
"I have, and even if she seem to be a well skilled agent and I would guess scary person, she is still a woman and that would in this situation be better" she said.  
"Well then I will tell them what you wishes" Jarvis said and Cara nodded then waiting for the other to get there.

* * *

Cara could hear Thor complain as soon as the doors open.  
"Why would she forbid me of going there? To my brother!" Thor said angrily. Forbid? Cara looked up at the celling questioning Jarvis but didn't say anything about it.  
"Thor!" Steve said "You are going to scare your brother storming in there and screaming"  
"But he is my brother, if something happened I need to be there!" Thor said.  
"Like you have the past year?" Tony said and Cara could just feel how Thor was near to explode in anger when Natasha actually walked through the door.  
"I am glad that you agreed, and I do apologize for making you do this" she said and Natasha looked around in the room and then at her for answers. "Loki is here, don't worry, you can't just see him. It made him feel better. And the man here, well let's say I just fulfilled a promise I made him years ago"  
"Lucky man" she said and Cara smiled.  
"He is lucky to be alive after what I saw him do" Cara said.  
"I figure I don't want to know the details" Natasha said.  
"No, for your sake, my sake and especially for Loki's sake I will spare you the details" she informed her. "But my guess was that you guys have an interrogation room where I can put him for now?"  
"We do" Natasha informed her.  
"Then can you please take him there and I will talk to him when I am done here. And please do not let him meet Thor, they are old friends" she explained and Natasha nodded.  
"I will see what I can do" she said and left the room with the man. Cara could still hear the others when she closed the door and then sat on the floor once more.

Cara waited for Loki to calm down enough to not shiver anymore before she said anything. She didn't know what had triggered it, it could have been seeing Natasha, hearing the others scream or just seeing Fandral. When he was a bit calmer she started talking.  
"Do you want to clean yourself?" she asked and Loki nodded. "Do you prefer a bath? A shower or just a bowl and cloth?"  
Cara studied him when she gave him the options and when he had shaken his head when she had mention both bath and bowl she guessed that shower was what he wanted.  
"Then let's find a one" she said standing up, Loki stood up too, very unsure on following her. "If it makes you feel better you can go to find one on your own"  
At that option Loki just shake his head frantically and she guessed he was too scared to go by himself, she didn't comment it, just opened the door and the stepped out of the room.

* * *

Finding a bathroom had been very easy with the help from Jarvis, and she had thanked him for his help.  
"It's always a pleasure, and it's nice to be thanked for once" he had said and she had just laughed a warm laugh, guessing that Tony didn't thank Jarvis too often.  
"I will wait outside" she said to Loki who looked down at the blanket and she then smiled and casted a spell that made different pairs of clothes appear for him to choose from. Loki nodded when he took a very lose pair of trousers and a big shirt with him.  
She then sat down on the floor, taking some deep breaths, her feelings finally catching up with her. Seeing Loki like that had not only brought up painfully memories, it had also broken her heart. She couldn't see him hurt, not like that. If she ever saw Odin she would kill him. If she had been less mad she had known that it was a suicide mission, but right now she was mad. How could he let people hurt his son like that, adopted or not? But she knew, she knew that Odin was an arse, to put it very mildly, she had never liked him. Cara had never understood why Odin had more or less hated Loki like that. Sure her relationship with her father hadn't been good, and her father had done to her more or less what Odin had done to Loki, and that maybe why she understood so well what he went through. But her father had never been a nice man, being the murderer he had been. But Odin was supposed to be the good guy, and he was nice to Thor. You couldn't treat your kids that differently. She felt the tears start falling and she wiped them away. Loki could be out any minute and she couldn't let him see her like this. She blocked all thoughts about the situation and instead she thought about the stars, something that always made her calm and happy.

When Loki had been done in the bathroom, a few hours later, his skin was read, his eyes too and he tried to hide his pain from her. She followed him back to his room and closed the door behind them and looked as he stumbled towards bed.  
"You don't need to hide your pain from me Loki. I will not think less from you." She said. "I know the feeling, and the pain. I will not force you to show it to me or talk about it. I will just let your know that if you want to talk about it, or have my help healing some of the pain I am here"  
Cara knew that he wouldn't want to talk about it now, if ever. But she wanted him to know that he could if he wanted. And she really wanted him to know that she didn't think less of him. None of this was his fault.  
But Loki didn't answer her and she hadn't expected either. She was about to walk towards the door to give him some space when he grabbed her arm very fast, before he let go of her. She looked at him with a sweet smile.  
"Do you wish for me to stay?" she asked and he nodded. "Then I will stay. I will sit by the door and make sure no one get in here"  
Loki laid down in the bed, curling into the blankets and she studied him while she sat herself comfortable at the floor, making sure she would stand guard while Loki tried to get some sleep, hoping that it would make him feel a bit safer.

* * *

"Where is she?" Thor asked the others as he was pacing back and forth over the floor. "Why hasn't she got here and tell me what happened?"  
"Lady Cara is still in Loki's room. My guess is that she will remain there for the rest of the night" Jarvis answered.  
"But why?" Thor said. "What happened to my brother?"  
The others didn't say anything, mostly because they was unsure to what they would say. They weren't sure what had happened, they could all guess, Natasha being the one that would get closest, seeing the man Cara told her to lock up for now. But they didn't know how far he had gotten.  
"I don't think you want to know" Steve said and the other concurred that.  
"Then who was he?" Thor said looking at Natasha.  
"Don't know. Cara just told me to lock him up until she could talk to him." She said.  
"I can talk to him" Thor said.  
"She wanted to do it herself, and if I was you I wouldn't step in between, not after seeing what she did to the last guy" Natasha said.  
"What did she do?" Clint asked.  
"She castrated him, and not in a good way" she said and all the guys went really uncomfortable, knowing that it wasn't something any of them wanted to ever experience.  
"Why? Why would anyone do something so horrible?" Tony said.  
"She said something but a promise" Natasha only answered and Thor looked at her. Those words made him remember something, or rather a fragment of something. He was sure he had someone say those words, or rather that someone had said that someone had said those words. Thinking about it made Thor confused, but he was sure that he knew something about it, just not what.  
"So what are we going to do about the guy she captured?" Clint said.  
"Not much we can do. We can't turn him over to the police because they will ask questions, and so will Fury. Guess all we can do is keep him unlocked until Cara talks to him" Steve said.  
"Is this going to be a normal thing? People coming here to…um visit Loki?" Tony tried to say, not really sure how to phrase it, not wanting Thor to try to kill him again, but the god seemed to be occupied by something else, that Tony guessed was thinking, just looking at his face. "And Cara stopping them, and asking us to clean up?"  
"She didn't ask us to clean up. She asked us to take care of one guy" Steve said. "And if she did what she did to him, maybe it's for the best that we took care of him"  
"She will still have her go with him. Trust me, I saw the hate in her eyes" Natasha said, leaning back and against Clint's legs.  
"Shall we let her? I don't want to get rid of a dead body" Steve asked.  
"I thought you supported her, sounded like it yesterday" Tony said.  
"I support her trying to help her friend, or what Loki now may be to her, I do not support her in killing someone" Steve explained.  
"I will not step between her and the guy. I choose my life over some lowlife rapist life" Clint said.  
"No matter who he is, we can't just standby as he gets killed" Steve said. "It's not right"  
"If we, or rather you don't standby, we may need to standby as you gets killed" Clint said and gave Steve an serious look and the others didn't say anything.  
"Did the man who attacked my brother have blond hair?" Thor suddenly asked and they all looked at him.  
"What?" Tony asked.  
"Natasha, did the man have blond hair?" Thor said once more.  
"Why do you want to know?" she asked and Thor cursed, taking that as an yes.  
"Fandral" Thor said in a dangerously low voice, a voice that none of the others had heard, they could all feel the anger from Thor. "I am going to kill you"  
With those words Thor started walking towards the room where his friend, or rather former friend was being held up. And as he did he forced the others to run after him, not knowing what would happen.


	6. It all comes down to power

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, it's me, ofc it is, who else would it be. Anyway I am sorry for everyone that like Fandral, and it's not like I hate him, I don't like him either, so he just happened to be the one that got thrown under the bus. But trust me, he will not be the only one!
> 
> Anyway, I promise that you got to met Bruce in the next chapter, yeah :)
> 
> So I hope you will enjoy the chapter :)

" _She is crazy!" Fandral said to the others as he entered the room. Thor, Sif and the other two warriors, Hogun and Volstagg looked at the blond man._  
_"Who?" Sif said as she went back to sharpen her sword._  
 _"Cara" Fandral answered in an angry voice._  
 _"The woman who is Loki's friend?" Volstagg said with food in his mouth._  
 _"Do you know anyone else with that name?" Fandral said and sat down in a chair._  
 _"I found her delightful" Thor smiled at them. "Do you know what she made Loki do yesterday? She made him play hide and seek, my brother playing!"_  
 _Thor was happy for his little brother, he had found a friend, and something more, that could make him smile and be happy in a way Thor hadn't seen him do in years._  
 _"Loki?" Sif sounded skeptical._  
 _"Yes! I think she is the best thing that ever had happened to him" Thor said._  
 _"I do not!" Fandral muttering._  
 _"How come? Mad because she got him and not you?" Volstagg teased. "The day when you couldn't get someone into your bed was bound to happen"_  
 _Fandral gave his friend and look that said that he didn't found this funny at all._  
 _"Oh, don't give me that look" Volstagg said._  
 _"Fandral, as much as I had hope that you and my brother would end up together, since you are my friend, it didn't happen. Loki made his choice, and we have to accept that" Thor said._  
 _"How can I? She is a normal human. She is not worthy him!" Fandral said._  
 _"I think that's for my brother to decide" Thor told him._  
 _"Why? She is crazy, and dangerous! You said she threatened you with a knife Thor, who knows what she will do to Loki" Fandral said._  
 _"I frightened her, I have no one by myself to blame for that threat. And I know that she won't hurt Loki, just like I know that none of you will ever hurt me" Thor smiled at his friends who nodded._  
 _"How can you be so sure?" Fandral said and Thor thought about it._  
 _"I trust my brother" he finally said._  
 _"His judgment is compromised by her" Fandral said._  
 _"What did she do to make you this upset? You have been upset by Loki's partners before, but never like this" Sif wondered._  
 _"She threatened to castrate me if I ever got near Loki in any way he didn't want and if I ever touched him in a way he didn't want" Fandral said. "Loki is one of my friends, I am bound to get near him, and even touch him. She just looking for an excuse to get me out of the way so she can have Loki for herself"_  
 _"Friend, if you ever did something to Loki that he didn't want she would have to wait until I am done with him. But you are my friend and I know that you would never do that to my brother" Thor laughed and dunked him in the back. Fandral smiled at his friend._  
 _"I would never dream of it. I am just looking out for Loki, and I can hope that he sees what kind of crazy woman Cara is" Fandral said._

* * *

Thor remembered there talk a few years ago. He had always known that Fandral was interested in Loki, and he had thought it was lovely, one of his best friends with his brother. He had even encouraged Fandral to flirt with Loki. And his brother had never seemed interested but Thor had just guessed it was because he was uninterested in that kind of relationship ever again, until Cara had come along. When she did Thor had been delighted and happy for his brother, and he had thought that Fandral would give up, moving on to his next target. Fandral had after all lured a lot of different people to his bed over the years, even when he had his crush on Loki. But it seemed like Fandral hadn't given up after Cara got into the picture, and Thor could see why she had threatened him, seeing something Thor hadn't seen. But he had blindly trusted his friend.

Thor almost broke the door when he entered the room Fandral was in. The blond man sat almost naked, trying to cover himself with a towel, and bloody at the chair.  
"Thor, old friend. Am I glad to see you; I need your help" Fandral said with a smile when Thor punched him right in the face. Fandral felled backwards, bringing the chair with him. Thor had felt Fandral's nose break at impact, the blood started flow, but Thor wasn't concerned about it as he walked towards Fandral in anger. He lifted him up and started to hit him again and again in the face. He just saw red, just thinking of what Fandral could have done to his brother, knowing that one of his friend was one of the men that had hurt Loki that bad.

"Thor" Steves voice sounded when they caught up with him. The other saw the god standing over the other man hitting him furiously. Thor didn't even react to the others words.  
"Stop!" Natasha said, but it had no effect whatsoever.  
"We need to separate them" Clint said and Steve nodded, running towards the god, tackling him from the side. The force made Thor let go of Fendral and the others pulled him away to look at the injured man.  
Steve fought to keep Thor down.  
"Little help" he shouted and Natasha ran over to him.  
"Thor" she said, the god snarled at them.  
"Stop" Steve looked him in the eyes. "I know how you feel, but killing him isn't the solution!"  
"He touched my brother" Thor screamed and almost broke free.  
"Jarvis, contact Cara. Fast before Thor kills us all" Clint said.  
"Of Course Mr. Barton" Jarvis answered.

* * *

"Lady Cara?" Jarvis said in a low voice and she looked up and nodded. "Thor founded out. The other has asked for your present"  
Cara cursed in her head, it was just a matter of time before Thor should find out. She knew that if she didn't stop him he would kill Fendral, and she needed him to be alive, she needed answer. But if she went there she left Loki, which she didn't want to do. She looked at the other man's back and slowly stood up.  
"Loki?" she said in a low voice, not to frighten him, but loud enough for him to hear. She knew that he wasn't sleeping, she had watched him carefully to see how he was doing.  
"The others need me to stop Thor so he don't kill Fandral" she started as she walked over to him. "But that means I would need to leave you"  
She needed to ask him what he wanted to do. If he didn't want her to leave, she would stay, and if that resulted in Fandral dying she wouldn't be to sorrowful over it.  
"I will only leave if you feel safe enough to be on your own?" she asked and he shook his head and she nodded. "I understand why. The other thing we can do is go there together, but that means that you will most likely see Fandral"  
Loki gave her a scared look.  
"I know, I know" her voice was calm and understanding. "You can be invisible the hole time. But if you really don't want to go, or for me not to leave I will stay here and if Thor kills Fandral, let it be"  
She could see Loki thinking over the options she had given him and she made no rush to hurry him. This was a hard decision to make. To see the one, or in this case one of many, who hurt you was never easy. And she would fully understand if Loki wasn't ready for that.  
After a few moments Loki stood up and she smiled.  
"I will be there the whole time, and if you want to leave, we leave" she said as they left the room. "Jarvis tell them we are on our way."

* * *

When they got near the room she heard that the situation wasn't going well. She heard how they were struggling with Thor and to keep Fandral safe. And when they got closer she could feel that Loki stepped closer to her and she smiled towards him.  
"Clint watch out" Natasha shouted and Cara saw how Clint went flying through the air and hit the wall. She heard something break and she looked at Thor who had thrown himself over Fandral. The whole situation was chaotic. Steve had a black eye, Tony bleed from his head. Natasha seemed to be the only one without any injury, and Fandral's face was messed up from Thor's hands, which was also bleeding.  
Cara sprang into action at ones, the green magic left her hands and strikes Thor in the chest, sending him flying and landing at the far end of the room, unconscious. After that she looks at Fandral, and sighed, she would prefer not to use magic on him, leaving him in pain, but then he would die. She kneeled beside him and a put her hands a few centimeter over his face. The pink magic left her hands and it starts to heal his wounds. When she is sure that he is going to survive she leaves the rest.

Cara turns to Loki to see if he is okay as he stands in the doorway, staring at Fandral with fear.  
"He can't hurt you" she says and he looks at her, but she sees that he doesn't believe her. "Do you want to leave?"  
She expect him to want to, but he shakes his head and she nods again.  
"Tell me when you want to" she answers before she walks over to Clint and sits next to him. "Hey"  
Clint just looks at her, and she can see that he is in pain, and when she looks him over she sees his broken wrist.  
"I can heal that for you" she says and he gives her a look that she can't read. "I won't if you aren't comfortable with it"  
"Do it" he says after another wave of pain hits him. Ones again the pink magic leaves her hands and start to heal the wound. She is working as carefully as possible not to cause any unnecessary pain. When she is done she feels exhausted, but she smiles at Clint.  
"That should do it" she says and he looks at his wrist and tries to move it and when no pain follows he gives her a small smile.  
"Thank you" he says and she just shrugs her shoulders.  
"Nothing to thank me for. It's my fault that it happened the first time. I should have known that Thor would figure it out" she said and looked at the god.  
"Can you fix me?" Tony said and she raised an eyebrow before she flipped her hand and a bandage appeared and she patched him up.  
"There done" she said.  
"Unfair, you healed him" Tony complained.  
"He had an broken bone, you barely have a scratch" she tells him and Clint starts to teas Tony and she just shakes her head before she turns towards Loki, who still was staring at Fandral who now was starting to come around and soon stood up.

"Hi love" he said to Loki who stiffed up. "Come here"  
Cara knew how this worked to well, even if you was terrified, you did as you was told, scared for what would happen otherwise. The first times you had fought it, but that had just made it worst, when they broke you, you just did as they said even if you didn't want to. And just like she thought Loki started to walk towards Fandral.  
Cara didn't even think before she stepped between them, stopping Loki without touching him. She gave him a smile.  
"Let's go Loki" she said and he looked at her, unsure what to do.  
"Don't listen to her! You know what will happen if you don't do as I say" Fandral said and she can tell that Loki is starting to have a panic attack.  
"Loki" she said calmly "Loki, look at me. I am here, nothing is going to happen, everything is going to be alright"  
She knew that this would be a hard fight, Fandral had so much power over Loki, and she had none. She could only give him hope and that wasn't always enough, she knew because she had refused to believe in the hope the first times. It had been a struggle for the people who saved her.  
"Loki I am going to take care of you like always" Fandral said with a smile and Loki took another step but she refused to move. She could tell that the other was watching them, but thankfully they stayed out of it.  
"I know that you are afraid of what he will do if you go to him, but you are even more afraid of what he will do if you don't go to him" Cara said and Loki slowly nodded. "But I do promise that none of those things will happen if you stay away from him"  
"Shut up witch" Fandral said to her and spit her in her face.  
"You have such a way with words" Cara answered him when she saw how Loki for a second or two got angry at what Fandral just had did. To see that made her smile wide at him. But she didn't say anything, sure that Loki hadn't noticed, because as fast it had happened it was gone. But for her it proved that the Loki she ones had known was in there.  
"Loki get over here, NOW!" Fandral finally screamed which made Loki jump and curl up on the floor. When Loki took his eye from Fandral she turned around and punched him in the face which made him fall backwards and faint ones more.  
"Great" she said and shook hear hand in pain, but then she ignored that and turned back to Loki who cried and clenched his fists, she could see the blood start sipping between his fingers.  
"Loki" she said but he didn't react at all, and she understood that he was in a place faraway in his thoughts. Instead of speaking louder to him she started to sing a song from her childhood, a song she often had song when they had been together, hoping that it would calm him.

* * *

Cara looked at Loki where he now laid on the floor, passed out. His energy had run out and she was relieved. She didn't know how many times she had sung the song before he had calmed down and finally collapsed.  
The others still hadn't moved, they had all sat there as hypnotized over the situation.

"That was…" Tony started but didn't know how to continue. Cara looked at them.  
"Didn't mean to drag you into this. I apologize for you not be able to leave" she said sincere and leaned against the wall.  
"Are you alright?" Steve asked.  
"Nothing to worry about" she smiled at him but he gave her an concern stare. "Just low on energy, it will get better"  
"Low on energy? What are you a battery?" Tony said and laughed and she rolled her eyes.  
"Yes I am a battery, a talking battery" she answered. "I will soon regain my energy and I will feel better"  
"And then what?" Natasha said and looked at the three men on the floor.  
"Then what?" Cara said and laughed "I guess I take Loki back to his room somehow, I lock up Fandral and have a talk with Thor later"  
"How is you going to take Loki back to his room, you can't even stand up on your own" Clint asked.  
"I said soon" Cara said and laughed again. "So all you heroes can move one and do what you normally do on a Friday night"  
The Avengers all looked at each other and nodded.  
"Let us help you, at least to get Loki back upstairs" Natasha said and at that moment she become very unsure. She didn't trust them with that, she cursed herself for becoming so week, if they did something now she should barely if even be able to protect Loki from them.  
"Easy, we won't hurt him" Steve said as she moved closer to him. "Promise"  
"That would be more assuring if you didn't hate him" she said and stood up on unsteady legs and she lost her balance when Clint caught her.  
"Can't say that, that have changed, but right now we can all see that he is the victim here. No matter what he has done, someone messed him up, badly" Tony said and the other nodded.  
"And you will never be able to get him upstairs" Clint says and she slowly nods. She know that they were right, but she still didn't like it.  
"Okay, right, so how do you want to do this?" Steve ask, she isn't really sure.  
"Can any of you carry Thor upstairs too?" she asks and the Captain nods.  
"I should be able to manage" he said and went over to the big guy and heaves him up on his back.  
"And Fandral, he needs to be locked up" she said.  
"I take care of it" Natasha said and Cara then looked at Loki, she knew that one of them had to carry him, and she wasn't too happy about it.  
"I take him" Tony said and waited for her to say something.  
"…" she started "Just be careful"  
"I will carry him as one of the lovely girls I have held in my arms" Tony said.  
"Be glad that he isn't awake and hears that" she says and tries to take a step but almost falls down.  
"Guess I give the healed wrist a try" Clint said and lifted her up in his arms.  
"Sorry" she said and he didn't answer.

* * *

"Here is some food" Tony said when he returned from the kitchen. Cara took the plate but she had a hard time eating and went for the cup of tea Natasha had brought her.  
"Thor is still sleeping" Steve said when he returned from his room.  
"And he will until I let go of the spell. But right now I can't deal with him" she admitted. "His reaction is perfectly normal and I do understand him, but I do need Fandral alive"  
"Didn't look like it" Clint said and she smiled.  
"I don't want him alive, but I need him alive" she added.  
She took a sip on the tea and closed her eyes for a second.

"I must thank you for the help, and I apologize for being hostile" she said to them.  
"We understand why" Steve said.  
"I will try not to let you guys get caught up in the middle again, knowing that this isn't something you want to take part in, Loki being an enemy and all"  
The other four people looked at each other.  
"He may be an enemy that's true, but seeing him like this is… not sure what word I am looking for" Clint said.  
"Not right" Natasha tried.  
"Exactly. If you had told me that this is the same guy we fought almost two years ago I hadn't believed you, not seeing him" Tony said. "Daddy screwed him up big times"  
Cara felt the anger rise as soon she thought of Odin.  
"He did!" she said with a low voice.  
"Not a big fan of Odin I guess?" Tony looked at her.  
"Never was. My father was a monster, but he was also always on the dark side. Odin is supposed to be the good guy, but when it comes to Loki he never was. Hated him from the start, that was at least the feeling I got when I met him." She remembered her first meeting with Odin. He wasn't impressed by her, and he didn't approve of her, that didn't bother her at all. He had said she was a useless parasite, and therefore perfect for Loki. She remembered how much the words hurt Loki, thinking that he could finally make his father proud of founding such a lovely woman. She had told Loki that it didn't matter what Odin thought of her, that all that mattered to her was what he thought of her.  
"What are you going to do about him?" Natasha asked.  
"Not sure. I am not nearly strong enough to take him on, to be able to do that I will need a plan. But that's not important now, Loki is my priority, not Odin" she said and the others seemed to understand.  
"I must say you handled the situation very well" Steve said.  
"It was just luck. He could have as easy walked to Fandral and I would have lost. Moments like that is always hard" she told them.  
"Why on earth would he go to the man that hurt him?" Tony said doubtfully.  
"It's not something you want, but the fear for the threat may be bigger than the hope for the help. I know how it feels. I have had moments when I had done that choice" she admitted and they all gave her concerned looks.  
"That sounds so stupid. You should always choose the helping hand" Steve said and she nodded.  
"In a perfect world yes, but all comes down to power" she says and then stands up. "But I will now bid you goodnight. I need to get some energy back"

When she walked away from them she looked up on the celling.  
"Jarvis are you still unable to see anything in Loki's room?" she asked.  
"No, not at the moment at least. My guess would be that the other man could disturb my signal before" Jarvis answered.  
"Will you wake me up when he wakes up?" she asked.  
"As you wish Lady Cara" he said and she smiled.  
"Thank you" she answered him before she got ready to go to bed.

* * *

"What just happened?" Clint asked when they were alone.  
"I actually don't know. I think we helped Loki" Tony said a bit confused.  
"I know that, what I want to know is why?" Clint said.  
"Still don't know Bird Boy" Tony told him.  
"Was it magic?" Clint suggested.  
"Didn't feel like it" Steve said.  
"And how does it feel?" Clint turned to him and Steve could just shrug his shoulders, and Clint continued. "But I guess it must be, there is no way in hell I would help Loki otherwise"  
"Maybe we did it to help Cara" Steve said. "She did help us with Thor after all"  
"Her fault to start with" Clint informed Steve.  
"I don't think it was magic. I just think it was the chock of seeing Loki like that" Natasha said.  
"It was very unsettling to see him like that" Steve admitted. "That's why I hate torture, it destroys people"  
"Wonder what Odin did to Loki for him to be like that." Tony wondered.  
"Things we most likely don't want to know" Natasha said, knowing that she didn't want to know. She had both been exposed for torture and exposed people to it, but the things she experienced didn't seem to come near the things Loki experienced.  
"I guess you are right, for ones" Tony said.  
"For ones?" Natasha said and gave him a deadly glare and Tony took protection behind Clint.  
"Save me" he said laughing.  
"Oh no, you have to get out of this by yourself" Clint said with a laugh.  
"Thanks Bird Boy" Tony said and fled to the elevator to seek cover in his lab.  
"I think that's our queue to get to bed, all of us" Steve said.  
"Party popper" Clint said as Natasha dragged off with him, with a laughing Steve behind them. None of them know what would happen next, but with Loki and Cara around it seemed like it could be anything, for better or worst. And as he stepped into the elevator with the other two he hopped for Cara's sake that Loki would be better, even if that would mean more work for them. But Steve rather have Loki back to normal and be forced to fight him on a battle field then see him like this.


	7. A present in form of Books

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hm, well I do apologize before, I am not happy with this chapter at all. It didn't come out as I wanted in anyway. I couldn't get the words to work with me, and all my thoughts just... I don't know. Anyway it felt like a disaster, and I do apologize for it. I am hoping you will at least bare to read it.
> 
> And in the next chapters you will get a few answers from Fandral, at least on what he have done to Loki. 
> 
> So yes, I hope you can enjoy the chapter somehow :)

When Bruce left the elevator he was surprised how quite it was, despite that it was already ten in the morning. Normally he could hear some sound, but now he heard nothing, was they all still asleep? Something he found very strange, what had they been doing to still be asleep?  
"Welcome home Mr. Banner" Jarvis said and Bruce nodded, at least someone was still here.  
"Where are the others?" Bruce asked.  
"At this moment most of them are still asleep" Jarvis informed him and Bruce gave him an look but didn't' ask, planning on his teammates to tell him if there was a reason for them to exhausted. Instead he went to the kitchen, he needed a cup of tea and something to eat.

Bruce stopped drastic when he saw an unfamiliar woman standing there in a yellow summer dress cooking food. He just stared at her, trying to remember her when she suddenly turned around and smiled at him.  
"You must be Bruce" she said friendly "There is breakfast over there if you want some"  
Bruce looked over to the table to see that it actually was breakfast there, and what looked like a healthy one too, something that pleased him. For living with superheroes you think they would take better care of their body, but they didn't seem to care what they eat.  
"Excuse me, but who are you?" He asked after a while and she still smiled.  
"I am Cara" she said, almost like that should explain something. Bruce looked at her.  
"And you are a friend of?" he said, trying to see how she got in here.  
"Thor" she answered as she poured herself a cup of tea.  
"I thought he had Jane?" Bruce told her and she laughed.  
"We aren't that kind of friends. Thor is not my type at all" she explained and he felt a bit stupid.  
"Sorry"  
"No harm done" she said and started to put food on a tray.  
"So Cara what are you doing here?" Bruce asked and she stopped smiling and he founded that a bit suspicious.  
"I think that is better if your friends tell you" she didn't look at him as the others entered the room.  
"Oh Brucie boy" Tony said and smiled at him.  
"Welcome home Bruce, how was the trip?" Natasha asked.  
"Breakfast" Clint excitingly interrupted her, almost like he hadn't seen food in forever.  
"Easy there, don't run over Bruce to get to the table" Natasha said and stopped Clint who almost had ran into Bruce and Cara just smiled.  
"You are spoiling us" Steve said.  
"I can stop" she said and Clint shouted that she couldn't and she laughed again. "Guess I can't"  
"It must take you forever to do this" Steve said or rather asked.  
"Magic" Cara let a small yellow light appear in her hand.  
"I thought you should be resting?" Steve said a bit worried.  
"I did. A few hours of sleep was all I needed."  
"So he still hasn't woken up?" Steve almost sounded worried.  
"No he hasn't, but at this point it may be better. And it gives me time to talk to Thor" she told them. "So if you excuse me"

* * *

When she had left the room Bruce looked at the other who sat down at the table to eat. He joined them, still puzzled over the woman, but the others seemed to be familiar with her.  
"She seems nice?" he said to the others.  
"Depends on who you ask" Clint said with food in his month and Natasha hits him in the back of his head.  
"You are starting to eat more and more like Thor every day" she said and Clint just shrugged his shoulders.  
"If I ask you?" Bruce looked at them.  
"Most of the time she is really nice, threaten us a few times, but guess we had that coming" Tony told him.  
"Why?" Bruce wanted to know and the other looked at him.  
"Hold on to your lab coat because this is one hell of a story" Tony said.  
"Sounds like I missed a lot being gone two weeks" Bruce said.  
"Nah, she got here the evening before yesterday" Tony told him. "With Thor and Loki…"

* * *

Cara walked towards Loki's room.  
"Jarvis, is he awake?" she asked.  
"No, he is still sleeping Lady Cara" Jarvis informed her and she nodded before she putted down the tray in front of Loki's door.  
"Tell me if that changes" she said.  
"Of Course" Jarvis answered as Cara started walk to Thor's room instead. She didn't bother to knock since she knew he was asleep until she removed the spell. She looked around in Thor's room and smiled, it just looked like she more or less expected. Thor had filled it with the most ridicules souvenirs from all around the world, that he could find. Then there were clothes all over the place, mixed with games and movies. Cara just smiled, guessing that Thor's room in Asgard looked something similar. Where Loki had everything in order, and didn't collected what he most likely would call junk, Thor did. They were so different as night and day that it made her smile, before she turned her focus on waking Thor.

"Thor" Cara said and the god opened his eyes, and she saw the anger, and it wasn't that surprising. Thor may have been sleeping, but she had merely stopped him right in his actions, kind of paused him. So now when he woke he was just where he had been when she had paused him.  
Thor sat up, looking all around.  
"Where is he?" he shouted and Cara gave him an look.  
"Not here" she told him.  
"He touched my brother. I need to end him!" Thor shouted.  
"How is that going to help Loki?" she asked.  
"He can't touch him again!" Thor said.  
"That is correct, but with Fandral gone we will have no answers to our questions" Cara told him.  
"This is not the time for questions, this is the time for actions and killing" Thor stood up and she did the same, standing between him and the door.  
"If you kill him we will not know what he did to Loki, and I will have to guess what I have to deal with" Cara tried to explain.  
"I do not wish to know what he did to Loki. Knowing that he did something is enough!" Thor shouted and showed her aside, which made her fall down and break her wrist, just like Clint had done the day before. Unprepared on the pain she took a deep breath and cursed Thor. This actually seemed to make him realize what he had done.

"Friend Cara, I am so sorry" he said and kneeled beside her and was about to touch it.  
"Don't" she said and sighed, it would heal with time, if he didn't do it any worst.  
"I didn't mean to" Thor said almost with panic in his voice and she smiled.  
"I am aware that you didn't mean your big oaf" she stood up and Thor stood between her. "Let's sit down" she said and they sat down on Thor's bed.  
"Does it hurt?" Thor asked and she raised an eyebrow.  
"It does, but I have felt greater pain" she just. "Thor I know that this is hard for you too, seeing Loki like this. Trust me it's hard for me too"  
Thor was about to say something but she stopped him.  
"You wont to protect him, save him, like the big brother you are. And that's very sweet, but you are doing it all wrong. Killing Fandral will not help. I need to ask him questions first, what happens to him after that, I do not know. I would prefer if he could help us in a case against your father, but I am not sure if that's possible, since I don't know how you deal with cases like that in Asguard" she said.  
"I…I don't know that either. Mother may know" Thor said and she nodded.  
"Then ask her when you get the chance. But right now it's important for you to know that we need to do this the right way. And far more often that means that we need to do what we most, not what we wont to do" she explained. "But you also need to know that this isn't your fault. You have done nothing wrong. You aren't to blame here, you didn't know what was happening, and when you did know, you saved him"  
"I left him for over a year. He must hate me" Thor said and she saw the tears start falling. "I wasn't there and protected him. I should have been more eager to see him. I should have made Odin allowed me to see him…I should"  
"Shhhy" she just said and pulled him into a hug, even if that was hard since Thor was so much bigger then she was. She was almost as tall as him, but he was built so much bigger, but that didn't matter here. "There was nothing you could have done, I don't blame you, and I am sure Loki doesn't blame you either"  
"He is so going to blame me" Thor said while he was crying. "He always does"  
"That is true, so then you should be used to it, I am also sure he is going to inform you that you aren't brothers too, and that you took way too long to save him. But be very clear with that he is not a damsel in distress that needs to be saved" she said with a laugh and Thor couldn't help but laughing too.  
"I think you are right my friend" He said and she nodded. "Thank you for your kind words"  
"There is nothing to thank me for. I know how hard this is on you, and if you ever feel like it's becoming too much I am here for you. Because standing beside can be as hard as being in it, trying to get out" She informed him before she stood up. "There is breakfast in the kitchen, and Bruce is back."  
"Then what are we waiting for" Thor said and almost ran out of the room and she just smiled.

* * *

When they got back to the kitchen the others looked at them.  
"Banner" Thor said with a big smile and hugged the other man.  
"Air, Air" he said but Thor just laughed before letting go of him.  
"Friends, I must apologize for yesterday, I acted up in anger and you got caught in it" Thor gave them all a apologizing look.  
"We understand Thor, if it was someone we cared about we would have acted the same" Steve said.  
"Yes, I don't want to think about what I would have done if it was Pepper" Tony told him.  
"Let's hope you never need to think about it" Thor said and sat down. Cara stood at the counter, leaned against it with a teacup in her hand.  
"What happened to your hand?" Natasha said and Cara looked at it.  
"Thor got a bit too excited and pushed me. But don't worry, it's already healing" she informs them.  
"So Loki?" Bruce finally said and she gave him a look.  
"Yes" she only answered.  
"Is it safe to have him in the house? I prefer if I don't have to become the other guy" he said and Cara nodded.  
"I don't think you need to worry about that, and if you did turn, well let's say we try not to see what will happen then" she said with a smile.  
"What would happen?" Tony asked.  
"I don't know. I don't know how well magic works on big green angry guys that likes to smash gods" she said with a smile but Bruce didn't smile. "Oh Bruce don't worry; I do not blame you for what you did. I may love Loki, but he had that one coming"  
"He totally did" Clint said and she nodded.  
"You always need to be prepare for that things can go wrong in a battle. Told that to Loki years ago, and I think he knows that. He just didn't expect to meet the Hulk, which to be fare I don't think anyone that picks a fight with you guys without information does" she told them.  
"So you are not angry? I have heard that you been angry at the others this past days" Bruce asked.  
"I have been angry on them for things they have done this past days. Being angry for things that happened years ago, and I can't do anything about and that was reasonable to do, will not help me. And it wasn't like Loki was totally innocent here. I can most likely understand why he did it, and to be honest I would most likely not stop him if I was there. But I would also have stood next to him and took the punishment with him when he lost. The only ones who's action I am angry at is Odin, being his fault that it even got to that point that Loki attacked you" she said taking a sip of the tea.  
"For dating a super power hungry, psychopath to villain you are very understanding" Tony said and she laughed.  
"Well dating a super power hungry, psychopath to villain, doesn't make me one. Even if I would choose his side over yours any day, since I love him, doesn't mean I can't understand your side."  
"Lady Cara, Loki is awake" Jarvis said and she nodded.  
"I am on my way" she said and putted down the tea cup and looked at Thor. "Do you want me to tell him something?"  
"Only that I love him, and that I don't blame him" Thor said and she smiled.  
"I will let him know" she said and left them.

* * *

When she got to Loki's room she lifted up the tray she had left on the floor and knocked.  
"It's me Loki" she said and was about to continue when the door opened and she saw Loki standing there. She gave him a smile and waited to let him decide if he would let her in or not. Then he stepped aside and she stepped in.  
"Thank you" she putted down the tray on the table. "I made you breakfast."  
Loki slowly walked over to the tray and she took a step back to give him room. He looked at the food before he slowly sat down to eat, and he was just about to start eating when he gave her a look.  
"Do you want me to leave?" she asked and he shook his head. "Do you you want me to keep you company?"  
When Loki nodded she sat down, opposite of him at the table and smiled a warm smile and when Loki handled her some bread she took it and started eating with him.

They eat during silence but she didn't complain, just sitting with him in the same room made her feel better. To know that he, at least for now felt safe enough to have her around.  
"Thor says hi. Told me to tell you that he doesn't blame you and that he loves you" she informed him and Loki gave her a puzzled look before he shook his head. And she knew what he thought, how could it not be his fault? It was only his fault, no one else's. He had himself to blame.  
"Loki none of us blame you. It isn't your fault. I know that it's hard to believe, but it isn't." She said in a calm voice and Loki stood up, turning away from her. She saw him start to shiver and she wanted to hug him, hold him in her arms, comfort him, but she knew that he wasn't ready for that. Instead she started humming on the song she sung yesterday while she drunk her tea, giving him the time he needed.

After a few minutes he had calmed down and sat at the table again. He didn't looked at her, ashamed she guessed.  
"It's nothing to be ashamed for Loki. You don't need to feel ashamed around me. I don't think less of you for showing your feelings, and trust me when I know how you feel" she gave him a friendly smile when he looked at her. He thought about what she had said and then nodded.  
"Good. I will not force you to show your feelings if you don't feel like it, but you should know that you can" she then took the last of her bread and finished her breakfast.  
"Do you wish for me to stay a little longer?" she asked and he nodded. "Then what about some reading. I think I have a few books you would like"  
When she mentioned books she saw Loki's eyes glimmer for a second by the chance of learning something new. She snapped her fingers and five different books appeared in the air in front of Loki.  
"You can pick which ever you want" she said and he looked unsure and she once against understood, bribing the prisoner with things he or she liked, to try to be there friend before something horrible happened. "Do you want me to leave you alone with the books?"  
Loki slowly nodded, apparently scared that she would be angry for him changing his mind.  
"Then I leave you alone" she said with a smile. "And you can lock the door after me if you want. And don't worry about making me mad, that will never happen"  
Cara left the books, brought the empty tray with her, leaving only the tea can and left the room.

* * *

"Any luck?" Thor said as soon as she entered the kitchen, almost making her drop the tray.  
"Thor, don't scare me like that!" she said and he looked a bit guilty and took the tray from her.  
"He let me eat breakfast with him, and I left him with some books. So it's a start." She said.  
"Good idea to give him books. My brother has always loved to read" Thor informed her.  
"I know that" she said and laughed before she turned to clean the kitchen, only to see that it was already cleaned.  
"Steve made us clean it" Thor said and she nodded.  
"Then I need to thank him when I see him" she told Thor before she turned around to face him. "And with the kitchen clean and Loki occupied with books, I have time to talk to Fandral now"  
Thor's eye revealed the anger at ones.  
"You can come with me Thor, if you behave!" she said and the God of Thunder nodded. "But I will not hesitate to throw you out of the room if I feel that it's necessary!"  
"Understood" Thor said as they started to ride the elevator down to the room where Fandral were.


	8. Daddy's work again?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, me again. 
> 
> Anyway, the kids are the ones Loki has in the mythology, and I must say compared to most of the other gods kids, I love his kids. He has some of the most interesting ones, not only because they destroys the world later on. But hey Odin had that one coming from treating them like that. I will not say what I will do with them just yet, you have to wait and see, but I have some plans don't worry. I may change them, but I don't think I will.
> 
> Anyway. I am much happier with this chapter then the last one so I hope you enjoys this one. And have a nice reading :)

Cara stopped Thor right outside the door.  
"When I come to think of it, it may be better if you wait on the other side of the glass" she told him.  
"No! I want him to see me" Thor said.  
"Remember what we talked about? About how we must do what we must do, and not what we want?" she asked and Thor nodded.  
"But…" Thor started.  
"He is most likely scared of you, and around you he won't say anything. But he wants to mock me, he will most likely tell me more if he thinks I am alone" she explained. "And whatever you hear in there, I don't want you to get in here"  
"I understand" Thor said, even if it was a bit unwillingly.

Cara stepped inside the room and Fandral looked at her with hate, but also mockery. She just sat down on the other side of the table.  
"Look what the cat dragged in" Fandral said.  
"Once more your way with words impresses me" she answered him.  
"How is my love doing?" Fandral smiled at her. "Were you to scared to bring him today. To scared he would choose me over you?"  
"He choose to read instead of meeting you" she informed him.  
"Bribing him? I never needed to do that" Fandral laughed and Cara putted her elbows on the table and then rested her head against her hands.  
"Then tell me how you did it, I am dying of curiosity" She said and flashed him a smile.  
"You would love to know, wouldn't you?" Fandral met her gaze. "Too bad that I am not telling"  
"Didn't think you would" she said. "But from what I saw yesterday I can pretty much guess how you did it"  
"You know nothing! What we have is special! Loki loves it!" Fandral shouted at her.  
"Is that so?"  
"That's how it is! He wants to be taken by force, he wants to be controlled" Fandral said and she raised an eyebrow.  
"What made you think that?" she asked.  
"All the looks he gave me over the years. The screams he made when I took him, and how submissive he was to me. You saw it yesterday, he wanted to come to me!" Fandral smiled at her.  
"I see" she answered him.  
"We have is something you never had!" Fandral told at her.  
"I sure hope so" Cara answered him.  
"Our first time was perfect. Taking him, there in the cell, on the cold floor was better than I ever could dream of. Have him shiver under me, put in chains, hearing the screams as I took him. You know what the best part was? Hearing him call for you, all of you. His mother, Thor and especially you! Knowing that he was mine" Fandral laughed and Cara felt sick, but she pushed the feelings away, she couldn't let Fandral see how she felt. "I told him that you guys would never come for him. That you hated him, after all he had done why would you come? Seeing him break under me, more and more each time I visited him, seeing how much I scared him was perfect. Got better when I started to hit him. Don't remember who told me to do that, but it was perfect. Someone told me to choke him, tried it, but it really didn't do it for me. But grabbing his hair and forcing him to bend back, making it possible for me to get in deeper was perfect. Some said that they had problem controlling him at first, I never had that. But when I got access it had already been awhile and I had you guys to psych him with. Others used his kids, one of the guards said they would tell Odin if he misbehaved and his kids would be in trouble. Guess Loki really was a pain in the ass towards the guard, but that didn't go so well for him in the end, because every time Loki did piss him off he normally forced him to blow him."  
Cara looked at Fandral with a cold smile.  
"I sure have never had any of those things with Loki" she said.  
"Told you! We all had our way with him, in any way we wanted. I am not even sure of half of the things the others did. Just knowing that we all preferred different things. Maybe that was the point, he should never get used to it. And you know the best part? Some of the guys had to bock there time with Loki, I had access whenever I wanted. Odin made it possible for me to see him whenever I felt like it, with the help of magic. And I am sure I am not the only one, so what are you going to do? How are you even going to protect him from them?" Fandral laughed and she stood up.  
"Well now when you told me I can protect him from them, so thank you" Cara said and Fandral stopped laughing.  
"Get back here bitch!" Fandral shouted as she left the room. "You tricked me!"

* * *

Thor had angrily stood on the other side of the glass, barely controlling himself, hearing what Fandral had done to Loki. It one thing imagine what could have happened, then he could have told himself that it wasn't that bad, but now he knew that it was.  
He understood why Cara didn't want him in there, he had almost broken through the glass and killed Fandral ones more. But he behaved, if he hadn't they had never got to know that some people had direct access to Loki through magic. He himself had thought it was only Fandral and hadn't care to look into it further, until the next person come along.  
When Cara left the room he soon followed.

"Cara" Thor said and she turned around to face him.  
"Hi" she said in a low voice.  
"Your tricks worked well in there" he said and she just nodded.  
"Yeah right yeah. I need to…talk to…" she started and Thor understood that she was really upset and this time it was his turn to hold her in his arms. He hugged her and it didn't take her long to break down.  
"How… how could he? Why…why?" she said between her tears and Thor had no answers since he had the same questions. He had seen a new side of Fandral one he had never seen before. And that scared him, could he not trust his own friends?  
"And threating… threating him with…with us…and… and his kids" she said and Thor just hold her tighter when his own tears started to fall. If they had even mentioned to hurt his kids, Thor knew that Loki would do very little it any resisting. Thor knew how much his brother loved his kids.  
"I…I didn't… even know…he had kids…" she said and Thor wasn't surprised, even if he had known that Loki loved Cara, he knew how over protected he was of his kids, which wasn't that strange after what Odin had done to three of them.  
"They are six" Thor said and she just nodded. "I will tell you about them later"

Cara had finally stopped crying and let go of Thor.  
"Feeling better?" he asked.  
"Not really, but thanks" she said and he nodded.  
"I think both of us needed it" Thor told her.  
"I guess we did" she said. "Jarvis where is Tony?"  
"Mr Stark is in his lab with Mr Banner" Jarvis answered and she nodded.  
"I need to talk to Tony, Thor can you show me the way to the lab?"  
"Without a doubt. Why do you wish to speak with the man?"  
"You will soon know."

* * *

When they go to the lab Cara knocked on the door and Tony opened the door a bit surprised.  
"Wow you look awful" he said as she entered soon followed by Thor.  
"What a lovely way to great someone" she answered and Tony just laughed.  
"It is true" he said.  
"Guess crying has that effect on your looks. Anyway, didn't come here to be insulted on my looks" she informed him.  
"Isn't that a shame, I have more things I could say on the matter" Tony teased.  
"Tony" Bruce said.  
"Yeah, yeah, party pooper. So what did you want?" Tony asked.  
"Is there a way to make it impossible for people with magic to enter the tower without permission?" she asked.  
"Why do you wonder?" Tony asked, a bit suspicious.  
"Fandral told us that's how he reached Loki, and it seems like he isn't the only one that may have the power to do that" Thor said.  
"The dude knows magic?" Tony said.  
"Not really. But my guess would be that Odin somehow leant him some power, somehow" Cara informed him.  
"Of course daddy did" Tony said. "But can't you just use your magic and do some swosh and swosh to protect the princess?"  
"Not a nickname my brother would like to have" Thor informed him but Tony just laughed.  
"I will do that too, but I would love to have a backup here, not sure how well my magic works against Odins" Cara explained.  
"I see. We almost thought you was almighty with your magic" Tony smiled.  
"Well for your no magic people it may see almighty, just like I would think you are almighty in your field, but I am sure Bruce could inform me that you aren't that great really" Cara teased.  
"Leave me out of it" Bruce said.  
"Anyway, is it possible or not?" she asked.  
"Can't guarantee, but I will see what I can do. If you let me takes some test on you to see if I can learn something about magic!" Tony said and she nodded.  
"It sounds like a deal, and just like you can't guarantee anything I can't. Not even sure if you will learn anything" she informed him.  
"That's a chance I am willing to take!" Tony told her before they left the room.

* * *

Thor had looked at Cara as she had walked around the floor where Loki stayed on mumbling things he didn't understood, there for guessing it was some unfamiliar language, and definitely some spell. He saw how the green magic left her hands, created a wall around the floor. He soon got company from Steve who looked at her with fascination.  
"What is she doing?" he asked Thor.  
"I think there is some protection spell, stopping people from getting to Loki by magic" Thor said. "That's how Fandral got to him"  
"Will it hurt us?" Steve asked him.  
"It isn't meant to hurt you, only people with magic. So no need to fear Captain" Thor said with a laugh when Cara returned to them.  
"It will not hurt any of you. Just like Thor said, its only for people who tries to get to Loki by magic" she explained. "Hopefully it will work, and also send them to the fake Loki in Asguard"  
"Hopefully?" Steve said.  
"My magic isn't as strong as Odins" Cara told him.  
"That's why we asked for friend Tony's help with building something to protect my brother" Thor said.  
"And he will?" Steve was a bit surprised, not like Tony to do something like that.  
"He got the chance of running some test on Cara" Thor said.  
"To get something, you may need to trade something" Cara said when Steve got her an questioning look. "And I want to thank you for the help this morning with cleaning the kitchen"  
"No need for thanks" Steve told her and she smiled.

"Now Thor, may we talk about Lokis children?" she asked and Thor nodded.  
"As you please" he said and they walked over to the table.  
"Loki has children?" Steve said surprised.  
"As do I. Children among gods aren't that surprising. We have lived for hundreds of years." Thor told him.  
"You, a father?" Steve said surprised.  
"To three, a lovely daughter and two boys. My daughter a fearful warrior, riding with the Valkyries and my boy's are warriors, fighting for the kingdom. They are all very well loved at home" Thor proudly said.  
"Why do I have a feeling it isn't the same for Loki's children" Cara said in a sad voice.  
"That feeling is correct. Loki's children isn't loved, fathers bidding" Thor started.  
"Not surprising" Cara said in a bitter voice.  
"But they are highly loved by Loki" Thor informed her. "That's why it isn't a surprise that Loki obeyed if they were threatened."  
"I can imagine that Loki loves them very much, and using a kid against the parent, normally make them obey. It's an awful thing to do, but you do whatever you can to protect your kid" Cara said.  
"You are a parent too?" Steve asked when he sat down at the table next to her.  
"Was. My father murdered her after I fled with her the first time" her voice full of sorrow.  
"I am sorry to hear that" Steve told her.  
"Thank you, I rather not think of it, since that's a door I try not to open too often" she told him before she turned against Thor who had a hint of anger in his eyes.  
"Fathers isn't what they used to be" Thor said.  
"No they are not. But let's returns to Lokis children"  
Thor took a deep breath, letting the anger disappear, needing to think about something else.

"Like I said there is six of them. And Loki loves them all very much. Most people see them as monsters, and before I tell you anything more, I need to know that you want judge him or them?" Thor said to her.  
"Thor I will not judge him or them, that something you do not need to fear for." She insured him.  
"Alright" Thor took another deep breath. "The oldest one is a horse named Sleipnir, which Loki is the mother of. The only kid Odin accepted, but that wasn't much comfort for Loki since Odin took him away and claimed him as his own horse, forcing Sleipnir to carry him. After that he got three kids with Angrboda a giant, a giant wolf named Fenrir, father prisoned him in a cage, fearing that Fenrir would eat him. After that he got the serpent Jörmungandr, father threw him into the ocean here on earth. Last they got a little girl Hel, father hated her and threw her down to hell, forcing her to live there all alone. After that he got two kids with Sigyn, Narfi and Váli. What happened to them I am not aware of. Father forced them to leave Asgard that's all I know. I am not even sure that all of his kids are alive, since father have tried to kill them over the years" Thor said and when he was done Cara stood up angrily.  
"May the devil take Odin!" she said. "Hurting children, he is the lowest kind of person"  
"That…that may be true" Thor admitted and she nodded in anger.  
"We need to do something about Loki's children. I refuse to letting Odin use them against him"  
"What do you want us to do?" Thor said.  
"Save them of course. Or first see how many of them, that still are alive" she told him.  
"I will see what I can do about that" Thor said. "And then?"  
"I don't know. I don't know" Cara said and started to cry again, remembering what happened to her own daughter.  
"Let me talk to Tony and see if they can stay here too" Steve said as he walked over to her and she nodded.  
"Thank you" she said and tried to smile as the captain went into the elevator to go and talk with Tony.  
"Shall we tell Loki?" Thor asked when she stopped crying.  
"Not yet, I want to know what have happened to them, and I don't think he is ready to know if something happened to them" she explained and Thor nodded, understanding. If someone told him that something happened to his kids he would be furious, but his children was loved. He had never thought of how Loki's children must have felt or how Loki must have felt. He had been so focused on his own life that he rarely had thought of Loki's.  
"I will look into it right away" Thor told her and she nodded.  
"Thank you" she said to him as he also left. She sat down exhausted after all the information she just got. Hating Odin even more for how much he had hurt Loki. She leaned over the table to just relax her eyes a short moment, but she was soon fast asleep.

* * *

"Tony?" Steve said as he entered the lab.  
"What?" Tony asked, not looking up from his tablet.  
"How would you feel having kids?" Steve asked.  
"With you? It's a bit sudden, but sure Cap" Tony teased and Steve's face become red.  
"I didn't mean.." he started.  
"I know, that. So why did you ask about kids?" Tony said after Bruce had hit Tony on the head for teasing Steve.  
"Cara and Thor figured out that one of the things Odin did, was using Lokis' kids against him" Steve started.  
"Loki has children?" Tony said surprised.  
"Yes, Thor too, apparently" Steve said.  
"Thor? Wow, you think you know a guy" Tony laughed.  
"Stay focused Tony. They want to save his children, but I guess they need a place to hide them just like they are hiding Loki, that's why I am asking you how you feel having kids…here" Steve added when he saw that Tony was on his way of saying something about it.  
"He really threatened his kids?" Tony said.  
"Looks like it" Steve said.  
"The man isn't winning any "Best father of the years" awards that for sure" Tony said in an angry voice. "And do you really need to ask, it's children for god sake, no matter who's they are, it's not right using them like that"  
"You should now that they aren't, um well human, or not all of them" Steve said.  
"What do you mean?" Bruce said.  
"Thor said something about horses, wolfs and snakes." Steve said and rubbed his neck.  
"What the? What the hell have Loki done?" Tony asked and Steve didn't know how to answer. "Well guess I already said yes"  
"They may to not be alive, not all of them at least" Steve said in a low voice.  
"Daddy's work again?" Tony asked and Steve just nodded. "I am starting to understand why the hell Loki is fucked up and hates the world. I am starting to be on his side here" Tony admitted.  
"Hard not to be" Bruce added.  
"Feels like Odin almost did this on purpose. You can't do all this shitty things without knowing that something is bound to happen" Tony said.  
"Did we just side with Loki?" Bruce asked.  
"Looks like it. At least when it comes to his kids. So go along and tell Cara that they can stay here" Tony said to Steve.  
"I think she will be happy to hear that" Steve said "Let's just hope that they are all alive, for Loki's sake. Not sure he can take the news of them not being"  
The others agreed as Steve left the lab to talk to Cara.


	9. Bandaged wounds

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I am really, really happy with this chapter. I had fun writing it, even if there was parts that wasn't fun. But yeah still liked to write it. And I try to make things move along with Loki, but I don't want things to happen to fast. I has only been three days after all so sorry if you guys think it moves to slowly.
> 
> And yes in the original story, aka the mythology, that's not what happens to the kids, but well change some parts, and I am bound to change some more things.
> 
> Think that's everything, so enjoy the chapter :)

Thor landed in Asgard, and even if it only had been three days since he left, it felt like forever. With all the information he had got, he couldn't see the place in the same way anymore.  
"My prince" Heimdall turned towards him "Welcome home."  
"Thank you" Thor said. "Is my father home?"  
"Not yet" Heimdall said and Thor nodded before he started walking towards his mother's chambers. He was happy that his father wasn't here, because if he was he wasn't sure what he would do. He had started to see a side of Odin that he didn't think existed, and he started to understand what Loki had gone through all these years. For him to be so blind and not see it before was a shock. And to think that their life had been the same, it made him sick of even think how he could have looked past it. He needed to fix this, he needed to be there for Loki now, and his kids, that was the least he could do.

Thor soon knocked on his mother's door and she opened for him.  
"Thor?" she said surprised when she had closed the door. "Has something happened to Loki?"  
Thor heard her concern and he understood it.  
"I or rather me and Lady Cara, we received information that wasn't to our liking" Thor started. He wasn't too happy to tell his mother what one of his friends did.  
"Thor tell me what you know" Frigga begged him.  
"Loki got attacked in the tower" Thor started, knowing that he dragged this out, not being brave enough to just say it. "Cara walked in on them, stopping what happened. I am unsure how long he had have his way with Loki before she did."  
"Oh my baby boy" Frigga said and she could feel her eyes starting to fill with tears. Who could someone do that to Loki. "Do you know who it was?"  
Thor turned away from his mother and walked over to the window.  
"We do. Sadly, we do" Thor's voice was very low. "It was…Fandral"  
Frigga didn't say something in a long time, not sure how she should grasp the situation. Thor meant to tell her that one of the boys that always had hang around Thor, that had played with both of her kids since young age, a boy that she had hold in her own arms did this. She felt sick, not sure how to react to it.  
"What…what did you do with him?" she finally asked.  
"Cara mutilated him, and not in a nice way if you ask Natasha" Thor informed his mother, a bit unhappy by using such words around her.  
"Good, if she hadn't I would have!" Frigga said and Thor looked at his mother and actually smiled.  
"Cara asked me what we did with people who committed crimes like those of Fandral's" Thor asked and his mother seemed to think.  
"That I am not sure of. But I will look into it and see what I can find" Frigga told him and Thor nodded, knowing that it was all he could do. Thor then become quite, even more unsure how to continue. Besides Loki, Frigga may have been the only one to love Loki's kids, and he wasn't sure how she would take the news of them being used against her youngest.

"Thor? Is there something else you want to ask me?" Frigga said after a while and Thor nodded.  
"Are you aware of where Loki's children are?" he asked and she looked at him.  
"Why are you…" she started before she putted her hands over her mouth. "Don't tell me he used them against Loki?"  
Thor didn't answer that since he couldn't.  
"How could he? He knows how much Loki loves his kids" she cried and then she suddenly cried more. "My poor baby boy, he don't know what happened"  
"Mother what happened?" Thor asked in horror, knowing this would not be news of joy.  
"I thought it was sudden, not understanding why Odin sent them out. When they come back it was with much joy. I wasn't sure what they had done at that moment. It wasn't until later I got the news. I asked to see Loki to tell him but Odin said he already had, promising that Loki would have permission to attend to their funeral. But I am sure he just used it against him" Frigga cried and Thor couldn't follow all that she had said, not at first, but then he understood what she must have meant.  
"Which children?" he asked in horror.  
"Fenrir and Jörmungandr. The warriors were honored." Frigga said "You wasn't here; you were away trying to keep the peace in the realms. You father knew that you would have stopped him otherwise. I knew that many of the warriors fell, but that did seem to have little meaning to Odin. Two of the children he feared the most was gone"  
"How could father do that? Loki's children never hurt anyone!" Thor was furious, he didn't know how to handle this. He had never lost a child of his own, and even if he hadn't been close with his nephews, it was still a lost to him, and then he thought of how Loki must have felt.  
"It must have destroyed Loki" Frigga said, feeling the pain her youngest must have felt.  
"Mother, what happened to the other children, do you know?" Thor asked.  
"I know that Odin can't touch Hel, making her queen over her own realm, a realm of death have made her very powerful." She said, Hel was the only one she was sure of. "I know that you father sold Sleipnir, to who I don't know. And what have happened to Narfi and Vali since he threw out them and Sigyn, I do not know"  
"He sold… he sold him?" Thor couldn't grasp what he heard. "I need to find him, and the twins"  
"I will help you with your search." His mother said.  
"I need to return shortly to earth to inform Cara about this before I return here" Thor told her and his mother nodded.  
"I will be waiting" She said when Thor left her chambers.

* * *

Steve had founded Cara asleep at the table and had smiled, she must have been exhausted, guessing the news she got from Fandral really shook her up. He took a blanket from the common room and placed over her before he went into the kitchen to get something to eat. He could give her the news later.

When Natasha and Clint stepped out of the elevator to get some food Steve signed to the to be quite and the pointed towards Cara and the nodded before Clint smiled a sinister smile.  
He started to sneak towards her, picking up a ridicules hat Tony had hanging on the wall. He sneaked closer, hat in one hand, phone in the other, and a big smile on his face. The other two avengers just looked at him when he suddenly screamed, having got cold water all over him.  
"Clint; I lived with the god of mischiefs, you have to do better than that" she said without opening her eyes.  
The other two laughed at him and Natasha walked closer and putted the hat on Clint's head and took a photo before he reacted.  
"Natasha, delete it!" he said.  
"Not a chance. Sending this to our friends!" she said and pressed the send button on her phone.  
"Natasha!" Clint and started to chase her.  
"Sorry if we woke you up" Steve said to Cara and she just smiled.  
"I am a light sleeper, helps you be prepared for what may happen. Normally it isn't stuff like that, but it helps with that too" she told him and looked at Clint who was stuck with Natasha on top of him demanding that she released him.  
"Tony told me to tell you that the kids can stay here once we get them" Steve said and Cara smiled.  
"It makes me happy to hear. Let's just hope that Thor has any luck then" she said and laughed when she hear a loud sound coming from the roof.  
"When you speak of the devil" Steve said and she nodded.

* * *

When Thor entered the room she knew that the news wouldn't be good.  
"How bad?" she just asked and Thor looked at her.  
"I need to sit down" Thor said and almost fell down into the chair. The two assassins who had been wrestling on the floor, or rather Natasha still sitting on top of Clint who tried to break free stopped when they saw Thor's look. They didn't know what was wrong, but they saw that something was really wrong.

Cara sat down in her own chair preparing for the worst. Thor seemed to have hard time getting the words out and she didn't rush him, not sure if it was because he needed time or because she didn't want to hear it.  
"He…he sold Sleipnir" Thor started without looking at her. "Mother and I will try to figure out to who. Apparently Hel is safe, Odin can't touch her in her own realm."  
"That is good" Steve said and Thor nodded a bit absent.  
"Narfi and Váli is still missing, has been since the day they left. We will try to track them and Sigyn down" Thor's voice was very low and Cara understood where they were heading.  
"When…when did he?" she just asked, unable to say it.  
"Sometime during this year. He sent large group of warriors after them, they were successful. Odin told Loki about it. My guess would be to threaten him what would happen to the others if he didn't obey" Thor said and she saw how sad he was, and she felt her own tears fall. "I wasn't even there to stop him!"  
"This is not your fault Thor" Steve said.  
"But it is. If I just had been more observant I could have stopped father a long time. But I really didn't see what you saw Cara" he said and she took his hands.  
"Thor it isn't your fault! Odin's actions aren't yours to control of feel blame for. I understand why you feel guilt I do, and I can debate that it's a tragedy that you didn't see what happened before, but I can't blame you towards all this. Not even I saw even half of it. All I saw was that everyone hated Loki without a reason, and no one gave him a chance. I can now see why, Odin wanted it to be like that. He has played with Loki his whole life, he has done this things to Loki for his own amusement" Cara said to Thor.  
"That makes it even worst" Thor said and she nodded.  
"It does, but people who do this are expert at it. They don't let other people or the target know what they are doing. Trust me, it's not my first case with this problem" she said and thought of an old friend.  
"How did that go? With the other case?" Thor asked and she lowered her glance.  
"I couldn't save him my friend, he was into deep when I met him. I tried, but neither me or his boyfriend was successful. They are now buried together" she said in a low voice and she was almost glad that she was already crying so she didn't have to start now.  
"I will not let that happen to Loki! I have already lost him once!" Thor said and she nods, but didn't say anything about it. In the end it would all come down to what Loki wanted.

* * *

Cara looked at Thor as he was about to say something when she stopped him.  
"Hi Loki" she said and looked up and saw the other man coming down from the corridor that lead to his room, she wiped her tears away and stood up. "Need something?"  
Loki just looked at them, she could see the horror in his eyes and that he tried not to shiver.  
"Are you hungry?" she asked and he nodded. "Want me to cook you something?"  
Thor was about to say something but she just kicked him as she walked around the chair.  
"Want to join me in the kitchen, or do you want me to bring the food to your room when I am done?" she asked and he looked at the others and then at her. "I promise if you want to be in the kitchen with me, they will stay out here. Right guys?"  
"Yes" Steve said and the other nodded and she could see that Loki was really unsure about it but then he took a step towards her and she smiled friendly at him.  
"Then let's go to the kitchen" she said and left the others.

* * *

"How does she do it?" Clint said in a very low voice. "I could never bare to see Natasha like that, and tried to take care of her without being a mess myself"  
"Training, I guess" Steve said.  
"That sounds awful. Doing this so many times that you get good at it" Natasha added and the other nodded.  
"I just hope she can help my brother. I have never seen him entering a room so unsure. Normally he would own the room, despite of how much he didn't want to be there. He even managed to make it look like he owned Asgard when I brought him back to court. Like he was the one holding the guards in chains, not the other way around" Thor said in a sorrowful voice.  
"Let's hope for the best. He seems to be able to be around Cara at least" Steve tried to sound hopeful and Thor nods.  
"She has always managed to bring out the best in him, I just hope that it's enough this time" Thor told them then stood up. "I need to return to Asgard, hoping to find the rest of Loki's children before Odin returns"  
"How long will you be gone?" Steve asked.  
"I don't know. Hopefully not to long" Thor said and looked towards the kitchen.  
"Don't worry, we will help her look after him" Natasha insured him.  
"Thank you my friends" Thor said and then left the room.

* * *

Cara stood in the kitchen while Loki stood near the door, ready to run out if he felt like it. She didn't say anything about it, just glad that he had left his room. It was a huge step already, and she was happy about it, but she also knew that things could become worst after that. She had one of the earlier times pushed herself to hard, thought that she was ready and almost threw herself back to her normal life, only to hit a wall. Everything become worst after that and it was one of the longest recovery she had to do. So she hoped that Loki didn't do that.  
"So what should we make?" she asked and looked at Loki. "Fish? Chicken? Meat? Corn?"  
At the last one Loki shacked her head and she smiled at him.  
"Okay, no corn then" she added and then thought about it "How about some rabbit, with potato and jelly?"  
Loki thought about it and then nodded.  
"Then let's do it. Do you want to help me or do you just want to watch?" she asked and he sat down, very carefully, still near the door so he could flee. "Guess I do the cooking then"

Cara had handled herself in the kitchen without a problem, talking to Loki the whole time about not really anything special. First she had talked about the food, who had thought her to cook rabbit, then she had gone over to the books Loki had borrowed, noticing that he founded it very interesting to hear what she thought about them. After that she had talked about places she had visited, and about the people she had met.  
She had seen that Loki had become more relaxed, and he had stopped shivered. He was still very observant towards everything she did, but she was careful not to do anything that could scare him. When she was done she smiled towards him.  
"Dinners ready. Do you want to eat here in the kitchen, or in your room?" she asked and he stood up, and she nodded. Knowing that he may not be ready to be away from his room for too long. "Then let me just give there other there dinner and we can eat in your room if you want the company?"  
Loki nodded and she smiled taking the plates out to the others.  
"Dinners ready" she said and placed the plates on the table. "Better get the geeks down in the lab"  
"Already here" Tony said from behind her and she jumped, screamed and dropped the plate on the floor.  
"Great, happy?" She said and turned around. "Well there is your food"  
"Not fair" Tony said and reached for another plate at the table.  
"No, don't touch our food!" Clint said and Cara just took a deep breath, trying to get her her pulse down as she bent down to pick up the shards when she saw Loki standing there, unsure what to do. She saw that he was really afraid but also what seemed to be worried about her.  
"Don't worry Loki, it's nothing else then Tony being stupid" she said and started to pick up the shards when she cut herself and cursed. Loki looked worried at her, and she was glad that her wrist had healed up by now. "It will heal soon"  
Loki didn't say anything as he slowly walked towards her and made a bandage appear in his hands. He then looked unsure at her and she held her hand for him to take if he felt like it.  
"I can do it myself if you want" she said and he just looked at her. "But I would like if you did it"  
Cara could see the effect those words had on him, he was so scared and shocked to hear that someone would like him to do something. And she knew that they had most likely told him over and over how useless he was, how no one would want him to do anything ever again. Slowly Loki wrapped the bandage around her hand, very carefully. The others in the room just looked at them, didn't dare to even breath. When he was done he stepped away very quickly, afraid that he would have done something wrong, but Cara just smiled.  
"Thank you very much Loki. It already feels better" she told him and he nodded very slowly. "Are you ready to eat? If you still want the company?"  
Loki once more nodded and took his plate and she took hers.  
"Tony will clean up the rest" Natasha said and Cara smiled at them and left the room with Loki.

* * *

"Did you see that?" Clint said, he was surprised at what they just had seen "Did you see it? Did you see how careful he treated her?"  
"Yes Clint we saw, we was in the same room!" Tony said irritated that he had to clean up, and didn't get any of the good food. First he actually thought about eating the food on the floor, but he had some dignity.  
"Hard to believe that it was the same guy that almost destroyed the town" Bruce said when he sat down.  
"He was really worried about her. I haven't seen anyone treat someone that careful in a long time" Steve said.  
"Yes, so your screw up wasn't totally bad Tony" Natasha teased and he just took a potato and threw at her, she easily dodge it.  
"Tony, don't throw food!" Steve said.  
"It's my house I can do whatever I want!" Tony answered.  
"Very mature" Bruce informed Tony as he sat down after he had cleaned up.  
"You can have some of mine" Steve said when Tony sulked.  
"Always the hero" Tony said happily and started eating.  
"But Tony, I wouldn't do what you did again" Clint said.  
"I know, I don't want my food to end up on the floor again" Tony told him.  
"That not what I meant" Clint said and Tony looked at him.  
"Then what Bird Boy?" Tony said.  
"It looked like Loki wanted to kill you" Clint said and Tony laughed.  
"Yeah right. They guys is afraid of everything. Okay that is not funny, that's kind of sad actually. But anyway he would never have the courage to pick a battle" Tony told him.  
"Not right now. But if he gets better he may. My guess is that he is as overprotected of her as she is of him, if not even more. Cara may be understanding towards us why we act like we do, Loki may not be" Clint said.  
"Did he really look like he wanted to kill me?" Tony asked.  
"Without a doubt. It was only for a second before he turned to Cara, but even if Loki is broken, we need to remember who he is" Clint said. "And that he may actually be more dangerous now then last time we met him. He may not seek a fight or anything, but since we don't know what Odin did to him he may snap at anything"  
The others looked at Clint, none of them had thought of it. They had all thought of Loki as weak, and he was right now. He was really broken, but a broken man could also be dangerous, it not even more than an unbroken man.  
"Let's try to avoid that and hope that Cara can control him if something happens" Steve said.


	10. Five days without Thor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, me here, in the middle of the night (at least here). I am happy about this chapter, and I liked writing like short stories for all the characters. I hope you liked them all, and I know that they all are different in length and what the character did. But I hope that you think they are okay. I am starting to get a bit more comfortable with writing as the different avengers. Still think I have a long way to go, but yeah.
> 
> Anyway, enjoy the reading. :)

The following week, waiting for Thor was different for all of them. They all was forced to deal with Loki, one way or another, something that was hard for them. They all understood a bit more what Cara was going through and they almost wanted to give her a medal for it.

* * *

The week started with Bruce who learned that a smile isn't always the most helpful thing, in fact it can make things worse.

* * *

_Day 1_

"Here" Cara looked up when Bruce put down a tea cup in front of her.  
"Thank you" she said and took a sip of the tea.  
"You look kind of tired" he said, and she understood that it was his way of asking if she was okay.  
"Yeah. It took me a few hours to calm down Loki after the alarm rang in the middle of the night" she explained.  
"Sorry about that" Bruce told her and she just shook her head.  
"You guys have duties and I am surprised that any alarm hadn't sounded earlier. But I hope everything went well?" she asked.  
"As well as it could. Magneto is locked up again, at least for the moment. He seems to have a way of always getting out. The town didn't get to destroyed and Tony didn't destroy the tower even if he was mad because he needed to stay back so Magneto couldn't hurt him." Bruce explained.  
"Yeah I could tell he was upset after I manage to calm down Loki and make him sleep I took care of Tony too. He was making things explode down in his lab. And he wasn't happy." She said with a tired smile.  
"Sorry about that. But last time Magneto caught him really bad, almost killed him, we couldn't take that risk again" Bruce informed her and she nodded.  
"I understood why you guys did, so nothing to feel sorry about. Tony become happy after he got to run his tests on me" she said.  
"How did it go?"  
"Besides that he poked me with all sort of things to see what would cause a magical reaction, and took blood, injected me with things and all the other crazy things he did, it went well" she said. "Just made me really tired. My body always tries to heal itself as fast as it can. And to protect me against everything it feels is a danger. So Tony didn't make it easy, I needed to concentrate so that I didn't kill him by accident"  
"Could you?" Bruce asked and gave her an look that demanded answers.  
"I don't know, I may never know how my body reacts when something new happens, that's why I was careful. Therefore, I am more tired than I would be otherwise" Cara took another sip of the tea. "Anyway he is still down in the lab, trying to figure out the scientific way of magic. I can tell you that there isn't any"  
"How would you know?" Bruce asked.  
"He isn't the first one to run tests on me, tho he is the first one to ask nicely" Cara admitted and Bruce nodded.  
"You should try to get some sleep" Bruce said as the first sunbeams hit the kitchen.

* * *

Bruce was reading the newspaper when he heard steps behind him and he expected it to be Steve getting up for breakfast, or maybe Tony that wanted to show him something down in the lab, but when he turned around he saw Loki standing in the hallway. He looked really lost and unsure. Bruce didn't know how to handle this.  
"Um" he started which seemed to startle Loki who backed away from him. "Oh sorry didn't mean to scare you. Are you looking for Cara?"  
Loki didn't seem to know what to do, Bruce thought Loki would run away from him when he started to back away even more. Bruce understood that he scared him, or rather the thought of the other guy, which wasn't that surprising considering what he did the last time. But suddenly Loki stopped and nodded at his question.  
"She is in her room, sleeping is my guess" Bruce told him and Loki seemed to think about what he just said. "Do you want me to take you to her room?"  
Slowly Loki nodded and Bruce tried a friendly smile but that seemed to do it worst.  
"Guess I am no good at this" he said to himself before he walked towards Loki who backed away even more, until the wall stopped him. "Oh yeah right, it's this way"  
Bruce walked past Loki who stood there for a moment before he followed him far behind, Bruce guessing keeping his distance if he would Hulk out.

The walk towards Cara's room wasn't long, but it felt like the longest in his life, so when he saw the door he felt reviled. He knocked but she didn't answer.  
"Jarvis is Cara still sleeping?" Bruce asked.  
"Yes" Jarvis informed him, which made Bruce really unsure what to do. He looked at Loki, then at the door and then back at Loki.  
"Um, do you want me to wake her up?" he asked really unsure, he didn't know what Loki wanted, had something happened? But when Loki shook his head to let him know that he didn't want to wake her up, Bruce smiled, that was really nice of him. Of course the smile only made Loki to back away even further. Damn he wasn't good at this at all.  
"Do you need something?" Bruce asked but Loki didn't answer, he only lowered his head and Bruce understood that he was ashamed. "Is it food?"  
Slowly Loki nodded and Bruce smiled, at least he figured that out.  
"Do you want me to get cook something?" Bruce asked and Loki didn't seem to know what to answer. "Or I can warm something that Cara have cooked"  
Loki slowly nodded again.  
"Okay, then let's go to the kitchen"

* * *

Loki had walked after him very slowly, monitoring every move he took and it made Bruce very nervous, which Loki seemed to notice and he got even more nervous. Bruce didn't know how to handle this, he thought again. He was not meant to take care of people in situations like this, or maybe it was Loki he couldn't take care of. The god stood in the kitchen, almost trying to disappear into the wall.  
"So let's see what we have" Bruce said as he looked in the fridge. "AHA"  
He turned around very happy when he found some of Cara's pancakes since yesterday, but when he looked at Loki he saw that the god had taken cover in the corner, covering his head with his hands and arms.  
Bruce cursed himself for not thinking that his sudden happy sound and turn could have scared Loki.  
"It was only me. Sorry" he said and kneeled down to try to get Loki to look at him, the god turned his head towards him and Bruce smiled but then Loki turned away again. Bruce cursed himself again, for not thinking that his smile could scare Loki, not that he understood how.  
"Loki?" Cara suddenly said in a very calm and friendly voice. "It's only me"  
Bruce took a deep breath, felt like he had been saved. Loki had dropped his hands and was looking at Cara who only smiled, and her smile didn't seem to scare him.  
"I will fix you something to eat" she told Loki, but the god didn't move, and Cara didn't say anything about it when she turned towards him. "Thank you for trying Bruce"  
"Not sure you should thank me, seems like I only did it worst" Bruce admitted and handed over the food he was holding.  
"It's never easy to know what you shall do the first time, but you did your best. And there for I thank you" she said and started to set the table for them all and fixing Loki's breakfast as Bruce more or less ran from the kitchen to not make it worst.  
Bruce decided that he shouldn't be alone with Loki in a long time, seeing that his smile scared him that much.

* * *

Steve was next, trying to find Cara to ask her to come along for a run. But instead he finds Loki, and he learns that just trying to be helpful can make things worse.

* * *

_Day 2_

Steve was just coming back from a run, feeling refreshed and like the day had just started. When he got back to the tower he felt the smell from freshly made bread and he understood that Cara was already up. Having her around, making breakfast for them was something he really appreciated. None of them was any good with making food, and the ones that could pass on at least making something, wasn't near as good as hers.

"Good morning" he said as he walked into the kitchen.  
"Good morning Captain. Just back from your run?" she asked as she took a piece from a melon and flipped a pancake.  
"Yes. You should join me sometime" he said, not really sure why he actually said that. God he hopped that he didn't sound like he meant something else, or was coming on to her.  
"If I ever get the time, that would be lovely" she answered and he nodded, thank god, it didn't seem like she thought he meant something else, which he didn't.  
"Just name a time" he said and god, it sounded like he did it again. But she just laughed and gave him a plate and he sat downed. He didn't dare to look at her, afraid he would say something stupid again. He didn't mean to be disrespectful and try to scare her. But this silence was killing him, he needed to say something.  
"Um, how is Loki doing?" he asked, that was a safe bet, couldn't say something stupid there.  
"He is doing fine. Bruce scared him a bit yesterday, but it's not Bruce fault, he did his best. But I think it was enough that he was a man" she explained.  
"I can imagine. Bruce isn't that scary, it's rather the other guy who is" Steve told her.  
"So I heard. Let's hope that I don't need to meet him, and especially that Loki doesn't need to meet him" she said and took another piece of the melon.  
"That may be for the best." Steve agreed before they went silent again.

They had a moment of peace and quiet before Tony come in demanding food.  
"You can have food if you are nice. But if you are demanding it, I will make sure you don't get any!" Cara said holding a wooden spoon that she was pointing at him.  
"My house my rules!" Tony said.  
"My food my rules!" Cara only answered and Tony tried to ignore her when she smiled and snapped with her fingers, and Tony didn't understand what happened but when he leaned forward to take some food he hit an invisible wall.  
"Hey!" he shouted and she gave him a look.  
"Be nice and you will get some food too!" she told him and Tony gave her an irritated look before he yield.  
"Can I please have some food?" he asked and she snapped with her fingers again and the wall disappeared and Tony happily took some food.  
"You are welcome to stay here forever" Steve said with a big smile.  
"Already asking her to move in with you?" Tony teased and Steve become really red and Cara gave Tony an angry look.  
"Tony" she warned him.  
"Yes mom" Tony said sarcastically.  
"Be glad I am not your mom, because then I would have you grounded by now!" Cara told him and started to put away all the dishes before she took the tray and walked towards Loki's room.

Steve looked after her before he turned to Tony.  
"Don't say such inappropriate things" he said and Tony just laughed.  
"Then don't give me such openings" he said as he took some more pancakes as the others joined them at the table.  
"What things?" Clint asked.  
"Steve wants Cara to move in with him" Tony said and Clint started cough.  
"I did not. I said that she was welcome to stay here forever, after she schooled Tony, that's not the same thing! Is it?" he asked really unsure.  
"It is not, and I am sure that Cara didn't think it was either" Natasha told him and he felt a bit at ease.  
"But if it was, don't let Loki hear it" Tony said and ran as Natasha gave him a deadly glance.

* * *

Later that afternoon he founded himself having some time over and he thought he would go for another run, and thought that he could ask Cara if she had time over.  
"Jarvis where is Cara?" he asked.  
"She was in her room the last time I saw her Mr. Rogers" Jarvis answered him and Steve walked towards her room, knocked and then walked in.  
"Cara I was thinking going for another run…" he said when he saw that Cara wasn't there only Loki. Steve looked at the god who looked at him with fear.  
"Oh Hi Loki, it's just me. Have you seen Cara?" he asked the god and took another step to see if Cara was in the room. He didn't watch Loki that carefully, and he didn't see when he backed away from him. Steve turned his head towards Loki when he heard him fall down, over what seemed to be a chair.  
"Oh sorry let me help you" Steve said and took another step towards him to help him but that made it worst it seemed since Loki started to shiver. Steve stopped and looked at Loki, he could see that he had backed into the wall. "It's only me"  
Steve tried to walk closer but stopped when Loki started to have a panic attack. Steve didn't know how to handle this.  
"Um, take it easy Loki. It's okay. No one is going to hurt you" Steve said trying to make Loki breath calmly by doing it himself, but that didn't seem to get to Loki at all, and Steve trying to get his attention by speaking louder seemed to make it worst.

Steve could suddenly hear a song being sang and he saw Cara coming back into the room. She didn't look at Loki as she kept singing the song. She walked around the room, she lifted the chair again. Dropped some books on the bed and put some flowers in a vase. Steve followed her, was she not going to take care of Loki. But when Steve looked back at Loki he seemed to have calmed down.  
"Thank god that you got here. I didn't know what I did…I am so sorry Cara" Steve said and she just smiled at him.  
"It's okay. I know you didn't mean it" she told him and turned towards Loki. "It's okay Loki. It's just Steve, he is not going to hurt you"  
Loki looked at her and only nodded.  
"Was it something you wanted Steve?" she asked and he had almost forgot why he was there.  
"It wasn't something important. We can take it another time" he said and left the room just as Cara sat down on the floor and started to read as she kept singing the song.  
Steve learned that he better ask Jarvis where Loki is next time, so he don't need to frighten the other man that much. Seeing him back away from him like that, actually made him really sad. Steve went to get ready for a run, he needed to clear his thoughts.

* * *

Clint learned on the third day that trying to avoid Loki could make things worse.

* * *

_Day 3_

"Both Bruce and Steve told me that being alone with Loki was the worst. They didn't know how to handle it" Clint said to Natasha as they sparred.  
"And you think you would?" Natasha asked and Clint almost laughed.  
"I am very sure that I would make things so much worse than they did" he admitted.  
"Good, so try to avoid him, because you would most likely just say something stupid" Natasha said with a smile.  
"Hey!" Clint tried to give her a schooling look but didn't manage.

When they was done with the sparring they went to the upper floors to take something to eat.  
"I would love to see Tony alone with Loki tho" Clint said with a laugh.  
"One of them would die" Natasha informed him.  
"Or they would be best friends. I mean normally they are both very narcissistic, sarcastic, and smart. On the other hand, when I think of it, let they never be friend, it would be the worst" Clint said in horror as he took a cup of coffee.  
"What would you like to have for dinner?" Cara said when she walked into the kitchen making Clint look around to see where Loki was, making sure he shouldn't have the chance to be left alone with him. Cara gave him a strange look.  
"He don't want to be alone with Loki" Natasha explained and Cara nodded.  
"I see" she said and then went over to the fridge. "But don't worry, Loki is in his room"  
At that Clint seemed to relax.  
"Then I can tell you that I would very much prefer something Indian for dinner" Clint said and Cara seemed to think about it.  
"Not what I do best, but I think I can manage to do something" she said and Clint happily walked out from the kitchen, ignoring Natasha whispering something to Cara and hearing the other woman laugh.  
Clint walked towards the TV, knowing that Loki was nowhere near, when he suddenly saw the god walking down the corridor towards the kitchen. Clint looked around and then jumped and hide behind a plant that stood there. It was the worst hiding spot he could have picked, but Loki didn't seem to see him and he released a breath, continued walking towards the TV.

* * *

That day Clint got to experience how hard to was avoid Loki, and he almost felt like the god stalked him, which he knew wasn't the case. But he couldn't understand how Loki was like everywhere when he didn't even walk to that many places.  
After the incident with the hiding behind the plant he almost ran into him in the kitchen when he went to return the mug. He met him on his way to the elevator on his way to look for Steve, then he almost walked into him when Natasha called him back to the kitchen to set the plates. That of course made Loki jump back almost jumping into Cara and making her drop the saucepan. Loki looked at her with horror but she assured him that she wasn't hurt and that it was okay.  
Clint fled the kitchen before Natasha could school him for it. Clint sat the plates, hiding behind the chairs when Loki walked back to his room, making Clint feel at ease again, until Natasha schooled him for what happened in the kitchen.  
But after that he thought he was safe since Cara went to give Loki his food, and he normally didn't need to see Loki until the morning, and Clint had decided that he would do some training the whole day. So when he walked towards the bathroom and just as he was about to touch the knob the door open and Loki stands there Clint can't take it anymore.  
"Come on! What is this! Here I am trying to avoid you and I see you everywhere, are you following me!" he said in an angry voice, how was this even happening. Clint looked up at Jarvis.  
"Is he following me?" he asked and Jarvis just snorted, not even bothering to give him an answer.  
"What is going on?" Natasha asked as she walked towards him.  
"He is everywhere!" Clint said and pointed at Loki, now seeing how he had lowered his head, and how he closed his fist, but Clint saw how blood slipped between them, guessing Loki's nails was the reason for that. He could see how scared Loki was and that he was trying to say something but he couldn't.  
"Well done Clint" Natasha said and hit him just as Cara got out from her room.  
"There you are Loki, I have been looking for you" she said in a calm voice, not even looking at Clint. "I had some maps I wanted to show you"  
Loki didn't look at her but she didn't say anything.  
"If that's okay with you. Felt like I needed some help figure out which way was the best for a ride" she said and Loki looked at her and she smiled. Seeing that he ones more was surprised that she was asking for his help.  
"Since you are an excellent rider, and I am not too bad myself, we should be able to figure something out together" she said with a light laugh and Loki nodded and took a step towards her and they went to Loki's room.  
"You are an idiot Clint!" Natasha said and Clint know that she was right and that he wouldn't hear the end of it so he fled into the bathroom hoping that she would leave him alone, which didn't happen. She schooled him as much anyway.

* * *

On the fourth day Tony learned that Loki read a book about mechanics and felt really excited, but he soon got to learn that you could get too excited and that could make things much much worse.

* * *

_Day 4_

When Tony finally got back up from the lab, locking himself away since Natasha's death glare a few days earlier, he was tired. He had been working almost for 48 hours and now he needed coffee. Had Bruce been there he would most likely told him to drink tea if anything, but he didn't care. Coffee was his drug, or one of them, but who could ever say no to coffee.

As Tony entered the kitchen he looked at the watch on the oven, the red numbers told him that the clock was 2 am. Not as late as he thought, but he knew that the other would be asleep by now. Boring people, sleeping. Why sleep when you could be awake? Tony knew that they slept because they could. He was still too much awake not to have the nightmares since his time in the desert. But he had learned to live with it, and worked around it. He just needed to stay awake long enough for him to more or less just become unconscious and sleep through it.  
Tony took his mug and started walking back to his lab.

When he walked towards the elevators he saw that the light was lit in the library, something he found very strange, it was rare that someone used it. He walked towards it wondering who was in there. When he opened the door he saw that Loki was in there with Cara. Not so surprised anymore, he actually got a bit disappointed. He had almost hopped that someone had tried to break in, so he would have something to do. But Cara had told them that Loki liked to read, and that was one of the way they dealt with this, they read together.  
"Here Loki, I found a book you may like" Cara said and walked towards the god that looked at her. "It's about mechanics, building stuff, in this one I think they are building a robot"  
"It's a very specific robot, it's build to be used when you build cars" Tony said and entered the room. Loki jumped at the sudden voice but when Cara smiled at him, he didn't do anything more.  
"Hi Tony" she said and Tony walked over to a shelf.  
"I think I have some better books here" he said and started to look. "So you like engineering?"  
"He likes all knowledge Tony, but I figured out that he took a liking to your machines here, since they don't have anything like that in Asgard" Cara explained.  
"Really? That is fantastic" Tony said very happily. "Here let me show you the good stuff"  
Tony started to walk around in the room collecting books.  
"This one, and this one. Maybe this one too" he said and walked towards Loki and dropped books on a desk near him.  
"Have you read this one? Nah I don't think you have, and even if you have you should read it again" Tony said and started caring more books.  
"Here Loki catch" Tony said and threw a book soon followed by another on in Loki's direction. Not prepared, they hit Loki in the stomach and head and he feel down on his knees and Cara looked worried at him as he looked towards Tony with fear.  
"This one too, and this one too, but not this one" Tony declared.  
"Loki" Cara said to show him that she was there since Loki looked very unsure towards the situation, and Cara understood why. Sometimes people pretended to be interested in what you liked to get closer to you, before they attacked you.  
"Tony" Cara said but he didn't seem to hear her. "Tony!" she then said with a louder voice.  
"What?" he asked, looking up from behind a shelf with five books in his hands.  
"It's enough" she told him and Tony looked at Loki, wondering what happened.  
"What's wrong with him?" he asked.  
"You threw books at him" Cara said .  
"Did not. Or did I? I warned him at least" Tony said and Cara gave him a cold look. "Oh yeah, my bad. Sorry Loki"  
Loki didn't even look at him.  
"I think we have enough books for a while. Let's go back Loki" Cara said and Loki stood up as Cara picked up a few books and they left the library.  
"I just wanted him to read the good ones" Tony said to himself. "I guess I have to show him them another time"  
Then Tony left the library and walked down to his lab.

* * *

On the fifth day Natasha asks if they want to watch a movie with them. Learning from the guys mistake, knowing what she shouldn't do, and it went very well.

* * *

_Day 5_

When Natasha walked into the kitchen the fifth day she thought Cara looked really tired.  
"Long week?" Natasha asked.  
"Well between Tony throwing books at Loki, and Clint screaming at him it did become a long week. Bruce and Steve wasn't as stupid but they didn't help either" she admitted and Natasha nodded understandingly.  
"They are not always aware of their actions" she informed her and Cara laughed.  
"I say so" she said and took a cup of coffee. "They even made me drink coffee, that's how tired they made me."  
"If it's any consolation Loki seems to be doing better. He does at least walk out to the kitchen and goes and looks for you if he needs anything" Natasha said and Cara nodded.  
"I hadn't thought of that. Sometimes it's easy to get so caught up in it that you don't notice things like that" Cara said with a big smile and started making breakfast.

When they guys joined her at the table Cara had already left for Loki and she thought it was a perfect moment to talk to them.  
"Okay we need to talk" she said.  
"We are in trouble" Tony said. "What have you done Clint?"  
"Me? What have you done?" Clint answered.  
"It's all of you!" Natasha told them before the other two manage to start a fight.  
"All of us?" Steve asked.  
"Yes all of you." Natasha answered. "It's about Loki. I am sure you guys don't do the stuff you do attentional, but you really need to be more careful around him. Not only for his sake, it's for Cara's too. She was really tired this morning"  
"She seemed to be doing alright yesterday" Bruce said.  
"It's because she don't want to worry Loki. Seriously guys, step up your game!" she said.  
"We shall try to be better" Clint said.  
"Maybe we should read some books about this" Steve said.  
"Not homework" Tony complained but then smiled.  
"Jarvis, give me a map about rape victim, PTSD and other stuff I may need to know, and send it to everyone in the tower" Tony said.  
"As you wish sir" Jarvis answered.  
"See, problem solved" Tony announced very proudly.  
"Remember to read it too!" Natasha said.

* * *

The day had gone by very fast. Between training, making the other, especially Tony read the material Jarvis put together and doing some other errands it was soon evening and they was in the kitchen.  
"I think we should go for pizza and bad movies" Tony said.  
"But Cara's food" Clint protested.  
"She needs a break from cooking. She is a guest not our maid" Steve told him and when Clint was on his way to say something Natasha silenced him with a look.  
"I think it's a good idea. Tony order the pizza. Bruce you pick the movies and I am going to ask Cara and Loki if they want to watch with us" Natasha said and left they guys.

When she got to Loki's room, which was the one Jarvis had said they both were in the knocked and waited for one of them too open. When Cara opened Natasha gave her a smiled.  
"Hi" she started "We are going to eat some pizza and watch a movie, want to join us?"  
Cara turned towards Loki who sat calmly in a chair reading.  
"Loki?" she asked and he looked up at her. "The others are going to eat pizza, a sort of food found here on earth, and watch a movie, it's like watching pictures, but they are moving"  
Loki looked at Natasha and then back to Cara and even Natasha could see that Loki was thinking of what could happen if he went into a room with all of them.  
"Don't worry Loki, I am there too. And we can leave whenever you feel like it" Cara said and Loki slowly stood up and Natasha actually smiled.  
"I am letting the others know"

"You manage to get them to join us? And without scaring Loki" Clint said impressed.  
"It wasn't that hard. I don't even know how you guys managed to scare him that much" Natasha said as she sat down on the floor in front of the TV, leaning against Clint's legs as he sat in the chair.  
"What movie did you pick?" Steve asked Bruce.  
"I went for Ice Age 4" he said and they all looked at him. "What I tried to find a movie Loki could watch without, you know"  
"Then you did a good job, I don't think that will get him scared" Tony admitted as he entered with the pizzas and he started to get glasses and other stuff from the kitchen.  
"Hi" Cara said when they entered the room. They could all tell that Loki was really unsure about this, so they moved away a bit from the couch to give him some more space. Loki carefully sat down, far on the edge so he could run away if he felt like it. Cara sat next to him, but giving him space too.  
"So let's watch a movie" Clint said excited and took a slice of pizza just as Bruce started the film.  
"Here" Cara said to Loki who looked down at the pizza. "I know it looks strange but it taste really good, and I promise no corn"  
Loki gave her a small smile before he carefully took the pizza and Cara smiled and then turned her attention towards the movie, not wanting to make him uncomfortable by looking at him.

Natasha smiled when it had seemed like Loki liked pizza, he ate at least a few pieces and he had then watched the movie with very curious eyes. During the movie she actually thought that she saw him smile ones, but as soon as she thought it, it was gone.  
Sometime during the movie she saw that Loki had fallen asleep leaning against Cara who smiled at him. She saw how relaxed it made her, so when she also felt asleep, leaning against Loki, Natasha signed to the other to be quiet when they left. The guys looked at the couple on the couch and smiled as they started to sneak away. Steve carefully put a blanket over them as they left the room.  
Natasha turned off the light and they all stepped into the elevator.  
"It was worth watching a bad movie to see them so relaxed" Clint said.  
"It wasn't a bad movie, but I got the point" Tony said and soon they started to arguing if it was a good movie or not and the other three just signed as they went to their own bedrooms, feeling happy over the evening, not hearing Thor landing on the roof, after being away almost a week.


	11. That's not how you should wake people

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Um so yes, I had trouble writing this chapter and it didn't felt as good as the last one. So I am sorry if it isn't any good. I tried my best to get where I wanted to go. And I also wanted to introduce Hel, and show that she don't like Thor, and why should she. It's not like Thor ever have been there for her, not that great of an uncle.
> 
> And then I wanted to have another moment with Cara and Loki, that was actually my favorite part of this chapter.
> 
> Then about Sleipnir, well you need to wait and see what will happen.
> 
> I hope you like the chapter :)

Thor was exhausted when he returned to earth. He had travelled around the realms searching for Sleipnir. His mother had soon located the first buyer. Thor didn't know how she had done it, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know either. He guessed that she had gone through some of Odin's paper, something his father wouldn't like. But Frigga had told Thor not to worry about it, and Thor trusted his mother. But he really hoped she would be okay, Thor didn't think that Odin would hurt her if he figured it out, but after what he had done to Loki he wasn't sure anymore. Thor wasn't sure who his father was anymore, not at all.

After he had gotten the information he had left Asgard again to find the man. Thor thought it would be easy, since finding the man was no problem at all, but he soon found out that the man had sold Sleipnir since he couldn't handle him, and after that a long journey started. Thor went from realm to realm, always two step behind. He learned that Sleipnir never stayed in one place very long, seeing that no one could control him. And for each story Thor got he seemed to become worse and worse. Thor wasn't sure if it was because how he had been handled or if the sellers just wanted to have a reason to get rid of the horse.

Thor actually lost hope, thinking he would never find his nephew, and that he would wonder the nine realms forever. On his fifth day his search took him to Nilfheim. Thor didn't like being here, not at all. He was very close to Hel's realm, and he knew if he wondered in there, he would die. But he needed to do this for Loki, and at this moment it didn't seem like he needed to wonder too far into Nilfheim. But just being in the realm was enough to make him shiver, it was cold, icy and everything was almost dead. Why would someone want to live here? Thor guessed many people lived there, near hell to be able to rob people on their way to their end. Thor wasn't to upset by this, knowing that those souls would also end up in Hel's realm. And he also was in a hurry to find Sleipnir.

* * *

Thor had walked for hours until he come across the place he was looking for, it wasn't much. And Thor had almost missed it, since the place almost disappeared against the dark sky. Thor walked over to the, he guessed he could call it a house and knocked. Thor stood there for a few minutes but no one opened and first he thought that no one was home, and that he either needed to look for them somewhere in the area or wait until they returned. But a voice caught his attention and he walked around the house, and founded who the voice belonged too.

Behind the house stood a little girl who tried to get Sleipnir to stand up. Thor saw the horse laying on the ground, having a hard time to breath. The young girl tried to calm the horse and to get him moving.  
"Hey" Thor said when he walked closer and the girl jumped "What's going on?"  
The girl tried to find a place to hide when Thor walked closer.  
"I do not wish to hurt you" he said to the girl who looked at him and when Thor smiled she smiled too.  
"Can you help me save the horse?" the girl asked "You look like a strong person. I need him to get up. Skúli who lives here isn't a nice man, and he will be back soon"  
Thor looked at her and nodded before he walked over to Sleipnir.  
"Hi, Sleipnir. I have been looking for you" Thor said and the horse looked at him. "I actually come to get you back to your mother"  
Thor choose not to mention Lokis name, not knowing how the girl would react. What Thor know of Loki had never been here, but he didn't want to risk it.  
"You know him?" The girl asked and Thor nodded.  
"He is my nephew" Thor explained.  
"But you aren't a horse" the girl was confused and Thor laughed.  
"No I am not. And it's a long story, but we don't have time for that, remember that Skúli can get home any minute" Thor said and the girl nodded.  
"See Sleipnir your uncle is here to help you, so you should get up" the girl said to the horse but Sleipnir didn't move.  
"Your mother misses you, and she wish to see you again." Thor said, it was a lie, or not only a lie. He knew that Loki missed Sleipnir and wanted to see him again, even if he hadn't said so.  
Sleipnir gave Thor a look before he looked away. Thor understood that something was wrong. Sleipnir wanted to go with him, but he seemed not to be able.  
"What's wrong? Why isn't he moving?" the girl said almost panicking.  
"I don't know. He normally isn't like this, especially not when he can see his mother" Thor said and walked over to Sleipnir and he soon saw the problem. "He is hurt"  
The girl walked over to him and gasped.  
"I am sorry, I am so sorry, I didn't know" she said and Thor nodded.  
"I don't think you did" he said and looked at Sleipnir with pain. Thor saw the big claw marks over his back that made it possible for him to see the bones, and all the blood.  
"This is Skúlis work, I know it. He has weird powers" the girl said and Thor just nodded, thinking if he could do something for Sleipnir.  
"I need to do something" Thor said.  
"There is nothing you can do" a voice sounded from behind him and he turned around to find Hel standing there.  
"Hel?" Thor said but she didn't look at him.  
"Move, I have come to get my brother" she said and walked over to Sleipnir and kneeled beside him. Sleipnir looked at his younger sister and nodded. "I am sorry that we have to meet like this after all these years. But you will not be alone anymore, your brothers are already waiting for you"  
"You can't take him Hel, your father is going to be devastated!" Thor said to her and Hel gave him and cold look.  
"This isn't something I am doing with pleasure. This is something I need to do, I wish I didn't need to do it, but I refuse to let the Valkyries and Odin have him again." Hel said and stroked Sleipnir over the muzzle and it seemed to make him relax.  
"Hel I beg of you, don't take him" Thor said and Hel stood up.  
"That's not how it work Thor. Someone will not live just because you beg me. For it to be possible you need to trade another's life for this, are you giving me yours?" she said with a cold smile.  
"I can't do that, I can't do that towards your father, I can't leave him again" Thor said and Hel nodded.  
"Thought so. So then don't say things like that again. If you aren't willing to sacrifice what's yours for him." She turned from him. Thor understood that she blamed him for what happened to her family, and Thor understood for the first time how hard it must been for Loki's children too. Understanding that it was no surprise that they hated him, Thor hadn't payed attention to what happened to any of them, he had been in his bubble, perfectly safe. "Tell father that I will take care of his oldest son, and that I love him very much. If you even can manage that"

With that, Hel took Sleipnir and the both disappeared. Thor looked at the spot where they had been standing.  
"That…That was Hel" the girl said with a scared voice.  
"It was" Thor just said and sighed, he knew that he just had lost one of Loki's children, or maybe two, not sure who he would be able to help Hel is she hated him that much. Then Thor realized that he would not be able to give this news to Loki, how would he be able to do that? He would need to tell his brother that he failed him again, that he was too late to save his oldest son. At that moment Thor screamed, scaring the little girl who ran away.

* * *

Thor didn't remember much of how he got back to earth, he just did somehow. Thor had tried to come up with a way to tell Loki about what happened, but he hadn't been able to think of a good way.  
When Thor got down from Tony's roof he walked towards the kitchen, he needed something to drink and eat, maybe that would help him think of something.  
Not looking where he walked in the dark he soon walked into a table and felled down, breaking it.

Cara woke up when she heard a loud sound from someone breaking something, Loki screaming and jumping away from her, making her fall down from the couch and onto the floor. She felt the air leave her lungs for a second, from the shock of the impact. She had no idea what was going on as she lay there in the dark. Suddenly the lights went on.  
"Thought you may needed some light" Jarvis said and she nodded and saw that Loki sat terrified next to her and that someone moved on the other side of the couch, but she didn't saw who it was. "It's only Mr. Odinsson"  
Cara nodded and took a breath she didn't know that she had been holding.  
"Loki it's okay, it's just your brother, your clumsy brother" Cara said and turned to face Loki who looked at her with worry. "I am not hurt and I don't blame you. I only blame Thor"  
"Did someone say my name?" Thor suddenly asked as he popped up behind the couch looking at them.  
"I did you clumsy oaf. Couldn't you have skipped, waking us up with a heart attack?" she asked and Thor didn't follow and she just rolled her eyes and tried to stand up when she felt pain coming from the back of her head.  
"Great" she said and touched it to see that there was blood. Loki looked at her in horror as he got closer not sure what he should do.  
"I…I…I am so sorry Cara" he finally said and she almost screamed at him when he talked to her, but she manage to contain herself. But she gave him a big smile and he seemed to be very unsure what was going on.  
"You…you talked to me" she said happily and Loki putted his hand over his month and looked horrified, and she guessed that they just to punish him whenever he talked. "It's okay Loki, I will not hurt you. I am just so happy to hear your voice again"  
Loki didn't seem to know how to handle the situation and started to crying which made her cry too, she didn't mean to, but just seeing him like that made her sad. That he even thought that she would hurt him because he said something to her. She finally managed to calm down and she started to sing the song she had sung for Loki this past days, and it seemed to calm him down too.  
"You don't ever need to worry about me hurting you Loki" she said and he nodded and she smiled. He had said his first words to her, but she knew that it would take a long time before he would start talking to her without a problem. Loki looked at her as she tried to sit up once more and this time it went fine.  
"Looks like my wound is already healing. So nothing to worry about Loki" she said with a smile and slowly stood up with him doing the same.  
"Maybe we should go back to our own rooms" she said and Loki slowly nodded.  
"Cara can I talk to you?" Thor asked and Loki looked really unsure.  
"I promise that Thor don't want to punish you either for talking" she said.  
"Oh, no I would never do that Loki" Thor said but Loki wasn't that sure about it, but he looked at Cara and slowly nodded.  
"Would you be okay going back by yourself?" she asked Loki who nodded. "Okay, then if you need anything just press the orb and I will be there"  
Cara smiled at him as he walked off, she could not stop smiling, he had finally talked to her, but when she turned around to face Thor she stopped smiling, knowing that something was wrong.

* * *

When Thor had told her what he had founded and what had happened to Sleipnir she cried.  
"I can't tell him that" she told Thor "I can't tell him that he lost another child, I can't Thor. It will destroy him. Losing a child is the worst, it's like a part of you have died"  
"We must tell him" Thor said and she stood up.  
"I can't do it. I can't tell him. Even if we must tell him, I can't" she said.  
"You are the only one he isn't scared off" Thor told her.  
"Don't ask me to do this Thor! I can handle the other things but I can't handle this. I know how he will feel, it's like you break inside. Like you will never be whole again, and it's true, a part of you will never be the same again, and no matter what happens nothing will be as good as it was. I have been there; I am still there. I miss my daughter every day. And I will do that for as long as I am alive." She told him.  
"I…" Thor started, not knowing what to say. He didn't know how any of this things felt, he didn't know how to deal with this situation. "Then what shall we do? Not tell him?"  
Cara sighed.  
"He must know, he has the right to know. I am just saying that I can't tell him" she said. "And god, I don't even know if Loki can handle this. I hope Odin dies for this!"  
"Will it be worst not telling him? He will find out sooner or later" Thor said and Cara nodded.  
"It's worst if we who knows something and don't say anything. If I had got the information that my daughter died earlier then she did and other people already know, but didn't tell me, I wouldn't know what to do" Cara said as she started walking back and forth over the floor. She needed a plan how to handle this situation, but here she was without one, and she didn't know what to do at all.

"Thor?" Cara said after a few moments.  
"Yes?" Thor answered.  
"Hel said that it was possible to get a life back for a life" she started and Thor looked at her. "Does that count any life, or only gods life?"  
"I don't kno…" Thor started before he gave her a look. "No! Don't think about taking Sleipnirs place"  
"If I can get one of Loki's children back it's worth it!" Cara told him.  
"Not if he loses you too!" Thor said. "He loves his children but he loves you too. Losing you isn't any better than losing one of them"  
"But it is. He can always find someone else that loves him, but you can't find new kids" Cara said with a smile. "So is there a way for me to contact Hel, like a ritual or something?"  
"No" Thor only said, not liking what he heard at all. He needed a way to stop her, knowing that Loki would be devastated if Cara died, no matter if he got one of his kids back.  
"Then I guess I need to die or almost die" she said.  
"I forbid you" Thor said and Cara actually laughed at him.  
"That's really sweet of you Thor, really sweet but that will not work" she said and gave him an look.  
"I will tell Loki then" Thor said, almost feeling like he did when he was a kid, threaten Loki with telling their mom if he did something Thor didn't like.  
"You will not do such a thing" she said. "Thor I understand what you are saying, I do. But you haven't lost one of your children, you don't know that pain, and I don't want anyone to feel that pain. Loki already lost two of his children, I don't want him to lose another one. He will be mad at me, but he will have his son with him"  
"He will not be mad, he will be destroyed" Thor said.  
"I…I know" Cara's voice was sad. "But this is our only chance. And who knows, I may be able to get Hel here too"  
"Cara please think about this" Thor said and she gave him a look.  
"Okay I will give you one day to come up with another plan, a way to tell Loki about his son's death and how he will deal with it without destroying him. And also another way for us to contact Hel and try to save her. If you figure out a way, we do it your way" Cara said and Thor nodded.  
"Thank you. I will find a way" Thor said and left Cara alone in the common room and she looked after him with a smile. She knew what she just had done was very low. She needed Thor to tell Loki about his son, that was true, her memories of her daughter was painful, but she could have putted them aside for Loki's sake. But she hoped that Thor wouldn't be able to take Loki's reaction, do something stupid. If he did well then she should have her way to contact Hel. It was a dangerous plan, and not a nice one, but she didn't care, Loki was more important to her then Thor. Thor would be so mad at her if he knew that she used him like this, good that he wouldn't know about her plan then. But she hadn't been lying, if the plan wouldn't work she would try to contact Hel herself. Even if that meant she had to die, she would do that for Loki. She just wanted to try something else before she played with her own life.


	12. Meeting the kids

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, me again. I am so glad I managed to write this chapter today. And I liked writing it, so I hope you guys like reading it.
> 
> I don't have that much to say. Not more then that I know that it isn't how hell look, but hey I wanted to change it a bit. And don't worry you will see the kids again, I am not done with them. And we also have Narfi and Váli out there somewhere.
> 
> So yeah that's pretty much it, have fun reading :)

Thor hadn't been able to sleep that night, he had try to think of a plan, but he hadn't been successful. Telling Loki, well the only thing he could think of there was just tell him. He knew that his brother would be sad, but what else could he do? And wasn't it better for Loki to know the truth. And the earlier he got to know that Sleipnir was gone, the earlier he could start healing. That was what Thor thought. He could only relate to when their grandfather died, Thor was devastated, his grandfather had been one of his best friends. And when he died Thor hadn't known what to do, Loki hadn't seemed to care much of it, but Thor felt like the world had come to an end. But as time went on it become easier, especially since he had known that his grandfather would die before he did, he had been sick a long time. It wasn't easy to lose him, but he still had all the great memories with his grandfather. So Thor thought that it would be the same for Loki. He would miss Sleipnir, but he would have memories with him. Therefor Thor had decided just to tell him, and when Loki become sad Thor could hold him like their mother had done when they was sad.

But he had an even bigger problem coming up with a plan on how he would contact Hel. But he didn't know if it was even possible. He guessed Loki had a way to do it, if Odin hadn't destroyed that way. And Thor know Odin had a way, but he couldn't ask his father. Besides that, Thor didn't know who could do it. But he had decided to come up with a plan after he told Loki, he needed to take care of his brother first. And after that, maybe he could ask his mother.

* * *

When Thor left his bedroom a few hours later to go by the kitchen before he talked to Loki, he founded the others there. Thor poured himself a cup of coffee, needing the energy.  
"Hi Big Guy, Jarvis said you was back" Tony said "Any luck on finding the kids?"  
Thor looked at his friend but he didn't know how to answer, and Natasha who seemed to understand that something was wrong punched Tony on the arm.  
"Ouch, why did you do that for?" Tony asked and Natasha just gave him a glance and Tony looked at Thor. "Oh yeah, right, sorry"  
The others stayed quite as Thor sat down to eat something.  
"Where is Cara?" Thor asked when he couldn't see the blond woman.  
"Sleeping" Bruce said "She was here earlier, made breakfast for us and Loki, before she went back to bed. She looked really tired"  
Thor nodded, guessing that she hadn't got much sleep either.  
"Thor are you alright?" Steve asked when he saw that Thor hadn't eaten anything, he just couldn't get any food down.  
"I wouldn't say I am" Thor said and stood up. "I need to talk to Loki"  
"That doesn't seem like a conversation that will go well" Clint said and avoided Tony when he tried to hit him, but that only meant that he walked into Natasha's reach and she punched him in the head and Tony laughing. Which got Clint to start chasing him around.

* * *

Thor stopped at Loki's door, not sure how to proceed. He had decided just to tell Loki, but when he was standing there it felt like such a bad idea, but Thor didn't know any other way. Nervously Thor knocked on the door.  
"Loki it's me. I wish to speak with you" Thor said and he heard Loki move but then he stopped, and Thor guessed that he was wondering why Thor was there. Thor was about to knock again when Loki opened the door and Thor walked inside. He looked around and by the look of it Loki had been reading and Thor smiled a little bit, Loki had always loved reading.

Looking away from the books to find Loki who stood very unsure next to his bed, not knowing what he should do. Thor didn't know either so he just stared at Loki which seemed to make him very nervous and finally Loki started to undo his button on his shirt and first Thor didn't follow at all. He just kept staring at his brother until his brain caught up.  
"No Loki!" Thor shouted which made Loki jump and looking down. What the hell had they done to him, making Loki think that Thor wanted that from him. Thor looked away. "It wasn't that I needed to talk to you about"  
Thor heard how Loki sat down on the bed and when Thor turned around he tried to look anywhere except at his brother.  
"No I needed to talk to you about…about…" Why was this so hard? He just needed to tell Loki about it. "About Sleipnir"

That made Loki look at him, Thor could feel it and Thor walked towards Loki, slowly, trying to remember how Cara had done it. He watched Loki but when his brother didn't do anything or seemed to try to get away from him Thor sat down next to him. He still sat a bit away from him, not wanting to be to close and making Loki think he wanted something else again.  
"Mother told me that father had sold him" Thor started and he saw the anger in Loki's eyes, only for a second before he lowered his head, most likely scared that Thor would hurt him for being angry.  
"So I went on getting him back, trying to get him back to you. Fandral said how they used to threaten your kids when they, you know did things to you" Thor said and that made Loki look away and Thor didn't understand why, was he ashamed of it? He had nothing to be ashamed for. Surely Loki know that so Thor didn't say anything about it.  
"Anyway, I thought that it wasn't right that they did that to your kids so I wanted to find them. But when I got to the first man he had already sold Sleipnir again, so I went to the next one and then to the next one, etc." Thor said, not feeling like he needed to tell Loki how many buyers he had visited.  
"I followed him to Nilfheim" Thor started and then stopped for a moment. "When I got there a little girl was trying to get him to stand up, not wanting Sleipnir to stay at the man that had bought him. I wanted to help her but I soon figured out that he was badly hurt. I do not know what caused it…"  
Thor stopped again, feeling that Loki was watching him, Thor swallowed before he started again.  
"Hel came, and I couldn't do anything, she just took him with her, I tried to stop her but I couldn't. I am so sorry brother, so sorry" Thor said and he truly was, he was sorry that he hadn't been able to save his nephew. "I understand if you are sad, and I want you to know that I am here for you. I promise that you will soon feel better."  
Thor looked at Loki and expected to see him crying, but he only saw hate, hate he hadn't seen in a long time. Loki pushed Thor out of the bed and he landed on the floor. Thor was shocked over the sudden reaction.  
"I am sorry Loki" Thor said again when Loki suddenly made a knife appear in his hands and Thor looked at his brother with horror. "Loki"  
Thor started to back, or rather crawl away from his brother when he saw the look he gave him, Loki really wanted to kill him. Thor couldn't even remember Loki looking at him with this eyes the last time they fought. Sure Loki had intended to kill him, but he hadn't given him this look.  
"I am sorry brother, I am sorry that I couldn't save him" Thor said and got up on his feet as Loki walked closer. Loki stopped in front of him, only staring at him before he threw away the knife and felled down on his knees with a scream. Thor took a step towards Loki, attending to hold his brother in his arms so he could show him that he was there for him.  
"It's going to be alright brother" Thor said and took another step towards Loki when Loki once again pushed him away. "Don't push me away…"  
"Leave" Loki suddenly said in a very low voice.  
"Don't ask that of me…" Thor tried again.  
"LEAVE!" Loki shouted at him and Thor felt the magic hit him in the chest before it sent him flying, only to hit the wall next to the door. Thor took his chance of leaving, just as he heard Loki scream again before he closed the door. This was not how it was supposed to happen. He understood that Loki was upset, but why would he want to kill him? He hadn't done anything wrong. He couldn't save Sleipnir no matter what he did, the only thing he could have done was taking Sleipnirs place, but he couldn't do that. He couldn't leave Loki alone, he needed him. Or did he? Loki seemed to hate him more than normally, but Thor guessed that was the sorrow talking. He would soon feel better, he would soon remember the lovely memories he had with Sleipnir and then Loki would be back to normal, Thor thought as he went back to the others.

* * *

The others had been eating there breakfast when Cara returned to them.  
"You look like a human again" Tony said and she raised an eyebrow.  
"A few hours of sleep can do wonders" Cara answered and took a cup of tea.  
"I can tell" Tony said and Cara gave him an look when she started to eat.  
"Thor is talking to Loki" Steve told her and she nodded.  
"He said he would do that…he found Sleipnir, the horse, one of Loki's children yesterday, but he couldn't save him" Cara started. "And I told him that I can't tell Loki that… um after losing my own daughter, I would most likely start to cry and not be to any help. All the focus would be on me, and I can't ask Loki to do that, not now"  
"We understand" Steve said and she nodded. "Thor should be able to handle this"  
"I hope so" Cara answered and they all went silent, until Tony brook the silence.  
"So, Loki fucked a horse?" Tony said trying to lighten the mood, which resulted in Natasha hitting him once more.

Tony's comment had actually lightened the mood, and after that they had talked about silly things, trying not to think about anything.  
"…So there I was trying to save the baby from falling down from the shelf, not even sure how it got up there. It starts to throw mugs and stuff at me, luckily they are all plastic. And at that moment a guy calls me, and tries to order pizza, clearly not knowing who I am. It was the last time I was doing a favour for Rhodey. I will never babysit again" Tony said and they all laughed  
"I am not even sure why he thought it was a good idea to leave a baby with you" Clint said.  
"Hey, I can take care of babies! I just don't like it. They are so boring. They don't do anything!" Tony defended himself.  
"They are babies, even you should know that they don't do anything when they are young" Natasha said to Tony.  
"Where did the baby even come from? Why was Rhodey babysitting?" Steve asked.  
"He was…" Tony started when they all heard Loki scream and they all went silent and looked at each other.  
"I guess he knows now" Clint said and Natasha punched him. "What?"  
Natasha just gave him a look that told him to think about the things he says.

"Cara are you alright?" Natasha asked when she saw her tears.  
"No I am not. I should be in there with him, but instead I am here, since I am too much of a cowered to even talk about my own lost. I forced Thor to do it, Loki is going to hate me for not being there" she said.  
"He is going to understand" Steve said, trying to be supportive just as Thor walked into the room. Cara gave him a look and Thor rubbed his neck.  
"He…He is soon going to be okay" Thor tried to say.  
"He is not going to be okay" Cara said and stood up. "Oh I knew that he wouldn't be able to handle this"  
"He is strong, he has lost children before" Thor tried and Cara just shook her head.  
"That's the problem" she said and started walking back and forth. "He must blame himself so much"  
"Why would he do that? He knows this isn't his fault. He was locked up and couldn't do anything to save them." Thor said.  
"That's why he blames himself, he wasn't there to protect his children!" Cara said in an angry voice.  
"Oh" Thor looked at her, he hadn't thought about that. "But he must know that it isn't true. He went through what he did to protect his kids. He must know that, he will soon understand that and he will soon remember all the good memories with his children and then he will feel better"  
At that Cara stopped walking and looked at Thor.  
"Please tell me you didn't say that he soon will feel better?" she said and Thor looked at her in surprise.  
"But it is true, no one is sad forever. He will feel better. And…" he started when she just shook her head.  
"No…no…no. Thor you idiot, you don't say that to someone who just lost someone. Not only did you most likely make him blame himself even more, you also told him that he would feel better soon. You just don't do that" she said.  
"Even I know that you don't do that" Tony said.  
"Why don't you do that?" Thor said.  
"It's like you are saying that it isn't a big lost to them, that they will soon forget about them" Cara said and started to walk again. "I should never have sent you in there Thor, never"  
"I am sorry. I didn't know. I didn't mean to make it worse" Thor said.  
"I can't blame you, I should have known that you would make it worse. I should have done it myself" Cara sighed and wiped here tears. "I need to talk to him and hope that I can fix it and that your words didn't do too much damage Thor"

* * *

Cara left the others and stopped at Loki's door. She had hoped that Thor would be sorry, and she hope that he will do what she thought he would. But she hadn't thought Thor would say such things to Loki, she just hoped that she could talk to Loki.  
She took a deep breath and knocked at his door.  
"Loki it's me, I am coming in" she said, hoping that he hadn't locked the door, but she was lucky.

When she entered the room she got a shock, the whole room was destroyed, more or less. All the books laid trashed on the floor, the furniture was either thrown away or destroyed and the glass in the windows was gone.  
Loki sat in a corner and she saw that he was crying, and she saw that he was bleeding, most likely a cut from something in the room.  
"Hi Loki" she said as she closed the door. She walked closer but he gave her a look that told her to leave. "I will not leave you, not when you are like this"  
She could feel the magic in the air at once, and she felt that it was dangerous magic, Loki was really angry and sad, a dangerous combination for a magician.  
"I know what you are going through…" she started but Loki gave her a look that said that she had no idea.  
"Just don't…" Was all Loki said and she knew what he meant, he didn't want to hear the fake story of how well she understood, the story people always said when you were sad. Had it been another time she may have paid attention and notice that he talked to her again.  
"No Loki I…" she started and looked away. She walked over to the window and looked down. She wouldn't have any problem telling Loki about his son, that was true. But if she had done that she hadn't mentioned her daughter, but no she understood that she would be needing too. She rarely, if ever talked about her, but Cara know that Loki needed to understand that she knew and not only because she said so.

"Loki this isn't something I am telling you lightly, and I didn't have any plan on telling you this now, or if ever. I am only telling you this because you need to understand that I really understands what you are going through" she said in a low voce before she turned around and faced him.  
"You knew that before I met you the first time I was hunted. I had people after me, people that I have meet on my journeys. They all hunt me for different reasons, reasons I will not talk about now. You also know that the first person to hunt me was my father, since you killed him for me. I told you that he wanted me to marry a man I didn't want to marry, and that's part of the truth. When he couldn't force me to do it he looked me up as you know. He normally would only hit me, but when that didn't work he let the man that I was supposed to marry have his way with me, and unlike you I am a woman and I can get pregnant, without needing to do any shift shaping. I got pregnant, and I knew that I needed to get away for my child's sake. As I told you my godfather helped me and I left the world I was born in. At first I thought I was safe, being in another world then my father and the man that raped me, but soon I figured out that I wasn't. So I started traveling between different worlds, until I needed to give birth to a beautiful daughter, Minna. At that moment I had founded a place where I thought I would be safe. I had friends who said they would protect me and my baby and everything seemed to be fine. It was for a few years actually, I felt safe, Minna had gotten some friends and I thought that we were free. But I was so wrong. Just after Minna's fourth birthday he found us. I got home one day and there my father was, holding my baby girl. And there was nothing I could do. I was soon back in my home world, captured again. Everything started over, except that my father also had Minna this time. I don't know how long I was there until both my father and Minna's father lost their patience. They threatened to hurt her and I knew that the game was lost, I couldn't do anything to put my baby in danger, so I surrender, thinking that everything would go well, but it didn't. Minna, not having any of it tries to free me, and when my father is about to kill me, she steps in between us, resulting in her death. She died bloody in my arms, nothing I could do. My father left her with me, actually laughing when he locked me up. I don't know how long I was there before my godfather, just coming home from a trip once again saved me and I fled. I returned to world where Minna was born and buried her before I started traveling again." Cara had forced herself not to cry while she talked to Loki. "I am not telling you this so you should feel sorry for me. I just wanted you to know that I actually know what you are going through Loki. I am not pretending to make you feel better, I would never do that to you. I just want to let you know that you aren't alone in this, if you want me here I am right beside you"  
Cara finally looked up and met Loki's eyes. She saw no anger in them longer, just remorse for how angry he had been on her.  
"No need to be sorry for that, I understand why. I was angry at everyone at first too" she said and Loki stood up and walked over to her and actually sat down next to her and she smiled.  
"I…" he started but he couldn't say anything and she say his tears falling.  
"You don't need to say anything" she said to him, and he really didn't, she know exactly how he felt. They just sat there next to each other, not saying anything until Loki felt asleep.

* * *

When Cara come back to the common room Steve and Bruce was the only one there.  
"How is he doing?" Steve asked.  
"He is sleeping" she only said.  
"And you?" Bruce asked and she smiled towards them, it was really sweet of them to ask.  
"I rather not think of it" she said and went to the kitchen, she needed something to drink after all the crying.  
"Does he need anything?" Steve asked and she shook her head.  
"Nothing you can give him anyway" she said and then looked at them. "Where is Thor? I need to apologize to him."  
"I haven't seen him in a while, not since he went to his room" Bruce said.  
"Can you guys show me to his room?" she asked and the nodded.

When they got there Steve knocked but there was no answer.  
"Jarvis is Thor in there?" Bruce asked.  
"I can't tell Mr. Banner, something is blocking my view" Jarvis informed them.  
"Like something is wrong with the signal, as it was when Fandral was here?" Cara asked.  
"No not like that. Here something is merely put in front of the cameras" Jarvis said. "Not a very advanced way of doing it, but it works"  
"Thor" Cara said and knocked again. "I need to talk to you"  
But there was no answer and they all looked at each other. Cara starting to think that Thor may have done what she thought he would.  
"Jarvis, is Thor anywhere else in the tower?" Cara asked.  
"I haven't seen him leave is room Lady Cara" Jarvis answered her and she nodded.  
"Thor it's about Loki" she said, but still no answer. "Okay, Thor I am coming in"  
"You can't do that!" Steve said and Cara didn't answer she just turned the knob and felt that the door was looked and she then used magic to get it open.  
"Just did" she said. "Thor?"

The other two entered after her but they stopped when they saw Thor laying bloody in his bed.  
"Thor" Bruce said and both him and Cara rushed to his side. "I don't feel a pulse"  
Bruce said and Cara nodded, she didn't know how long Thor had been gone, she hoped that it wasn't for too long, because then this would be hard to do.  
"We need to bring him back" Bruce said.  
"Yes" she only answered.  
"Guys?" Steve suddenly said and they turned to him. "He left this note, saying that he went to Hell to get Sleipnir back. He says he is sorry and he wants you Cara to tell Loki how sorry he is"  
"You idiot! You forbid me from doing this, and then you go and do it yourself" Cara said in an angry voice, couldn't let the other guys knowing that this was a part of her plan.  
"You wanted to do this?" Steve said to her.  
"This is not the right time for this conversation!" she told him and turned to Bruce.  
"Can you get him breathing again?" she asked.  
"I may be able to do that. But if this Hel has him I am not sure if it's possible" Bruce informed her.  
"That's why I am going to visit her and bring this idiot back" Cara told him.  
"No! Can't have you killing yourself too!" Steve said and she smiled.  
"Don't worry about that, I will not kill myself, I will simply use Thor's body to get to Hel. If everything works like it should I can get him back"  
"If everything works?" Bruce asked.  
"Never done this before, it's just something a friend told me about a long time ago. She taught me a way to get into the realm of the dead and bring someone back. I am not sure if this works in this world, but it's all I can do"  
"Are you sure?" Steve asked "Can you really do that?"  
"I am not sure, but I am going to try. I have enough of blood on my hands, I can't have Thor's too" she said and placed one of her hands over Thor's heart on the other one on his head, and she let the black magic leave her hands as she closed her eyes.

* * *

When she opened them she was in a dark and cold place. She saw the piles of bones, creating a wall. Cara walked towards the only gate she could see, not really sure where she would get. But she needed to find Thor and Hel, and this soon, she had no idea how long she would be able to stay here.

The gate was gigantic, and she felt like the smallest person there was when she walked through it, but guessing giants also died and needed to talk through the gate, it was only logical that it was big.  
As she walked down the path in front of her, she could hear the sound of people screaming from the wall, begging her to release them. Cara kept walking, thinking it was best not to mess with anything down here, not knowing what would happen.

The path seemed to go on forever and she could neither see the end or the beginning at it anymore, but now further away from the gate she started to hear a river and voices laughing. It was still dark and she couldn't see anything, and that started to worry her. What if she would be bound to walk down this path forever, without getting anywhere. She hoped that it wasn't the case and that she soon would come find what she was looking for.

"She is here" she suddenly heard a voice say when she walked into a light. The light come from a gigantic hall, a bright and warm hall. Cara had started to see light a while ago, and first she had gotten to a village where people was laughing and seemed to have a nice time. They had just pointed at a mountain further down the road and Cara had kept going until she got there. Then she had stopped, the way had been blocked by a gigantic door and she knew that she would never be able to open that. With it closed she almost thought it was locked until the doors opened and she walked in. In the other end of the hall she saw a throne at a table where people seemed to be waiting at her.

"We have been waiting for you" a young girl said and Cara guessed it was Hel.  
"I am sorry to have kept you waiting" Cara said with a smile.  
"Oh don't be sorry, you couldn't have gone here any sooner" the girl answered.  
"Then I am not sorry anymore" Cara laughed and looked at the people with the table, she saw Hel, then she guessed it was Sleipnir, Fenrir and Jörmungandr, and finally Thor, sleeping.  
"I have actually been looking for him" Cara said and pointed at the god.  
"He has a faithful friend" the girl said.  
"Not really. I kind of tricked him and hoped he would end up here so I would have a chance to talk to all of you" she admitted.  
"Is that so?" the girl said and laughed. "Well then we feel honoured Cara"  
Cara wasn't surprised to know that they know her name.  
"It's me who should be honoured Hel, it's not every day I am allowed into your realm" Cara answered.  
"You know of our names?" Hel asked.  
"Thor informed me about you" she admitted. "Before he started looking for you"  
"Well he found us" Hel said in a cold voice and Cara nodded.  
"He surly did" Cara answered in a sad voice. "I had just wished he had done so sooner"  
"It was never in his interests, not until he founded about father. Then he wanted to do this for him, not for our sake" Hel said "That's why I didn't granted his wish to take Sleipnir's place"  
Cara didn't know what to answer.  
"I can see that he cares about father, but if he had cared for real he would have done something sooner. But he has always been to absorbed by his own life." Hel said.  
"Of that I can't disagree" Cara told her "Even if he is starting to see for the first time. I only wished he did the first time I met him"  
"As do we. Maybe then my brothers would still have been alive, and father wouldn't have been treated the way he did" Hel said in a sad voice.  
"I am sorry for not being there to help him" Cara told them.  
"Nothing we can blame you for. You didn't know that father was alive, if you had known we are sure that you would have been there for him" Hel said and she nodded.  
"I would have been" she told them and then looked at Thor. "So what will you do with him?"  
"I will send him back. I do not wish him to be here for his selfish reason. He thought he did something good, but he only did it because he feels bad for not helping Loki before. He is not here for the same reasons you are. You are here because you love Loki, you do not feel guilt, you are truly capable of doing anything for father" Hel said and Cara smiled.  
"You do crazy things when you are in love" she said and Hel smiled too before she touched Thor and he started to disappear, Cara guessing back to his body.

"Since you seem to know why I am here will you accept my life in return of Sleipnirs?" she asked Hel.  
"No" Hel said and Cara just looked at her and was about to say something. "Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against you, and you wishing to do this for father makes me really happy, but taking your life will not help. Father will still be as sad as he is now, and I don't want to be the cause of that. And even if I had accepted the deal it wouldn't have worked. For it to be possible to work the persons place take must accept the deal, and Sleipnir will not accept it." Hel said.  
"Why not?" Cara asked.  
"For the same reason as I. He doesn't want to be the cause of father's sorrow. He knows that father would love to see him ones more. But he also knows that he would be sad every time he looked at him, knowing you died to save his son" Hel said and Cara nodded.  
"I see" she only answered.  
"We all know that you wanted to do this for father and we wish we could help you with it, but we can't" she said.  
"Then I guess I can't get you to come back with me either?" Cara asked Hel.  
"No you cannot. I need to stay here, in my own realm. Without me it will be destroyed and I can't let that happen to my people, or my brothers. But father knows that I am safe here" she said. "And you can tell him that I am not alone anymore, I have my brothers here with me"  
"I am sure that it will give him some consolation" Cara said. "May I ask if all of your brothers are here?"  
"If you are thinking of my youngest brothers Narfi and Váli, I can inform you that they aren't here. I may not know where they are but they are alive. And I hope that they will stay alive until you can find them" Hel said and Cara nodded.  
"I hope that too"  
"I wish that you could stay with us, but it's time for you to get back" Hel said.  
"I wish I could stay a bit longer too, or take you with me, but I knew that I can't, and that this is a goodbye" Cara looked at them.  
"Take care of father, and let him know that we love him very much" Hel said and walked towards her and gave her a hug and Cara hugged her back, something that seemed to make Hel really happy. Cara guessed that Hel hadn't got many hugs since she had been thrown down here. Cara looked at the others as they also stepped forward to her. Cara hugged each of them.  
"Take care, all of you. And I really wish that I will see you again" Cara said.  
"Maybe you will" Hel said and she had that voice Loki used to have when he planned something. "Farewell Mother"  
Cara just looked at Hel as she waved to her as they all disappeared.

* * *

When Cara woke up a few seconds later she heard people around her fighting. At first she couldn't tell who's voice it was, not until she actually felt alive again. When she opened her eyes she saw that it was Steve and Bruce who was schooling Thor, who didn't seem to know what to do. She also saw Loki standing behind them and he looked furious. The other two actually kept his distance from him, fearing what he may do. They all stopped when she sat up.  
"Cara you are back" Steve said and she nodded. Loki walked over to her and she first thought that he would be mad at her but instead he actually pulled her into a hug. She understood how worried he must have been.  
"I am sorry for making you worry" she said and hugged him back. "And I am also sorry that I couldn't bring any of your children back. But they wanted me to tell you, that they all love you very much and Hel wanted you to know that she didn't feel lonely anymore, not with her brothers there"  
Cara could feel Loki's tears as the landed on her shoulders, but she didn't say anything about it, she just hugged him closer until he felt like letting go of her.

When Loki finally let go of her he turned around towards Thor who just smiled at them, but stopped when he saw the anger in Loki's eyes.  
"If you ever drag her into something like this again, I will kill you Thor!" he said and Thor looked at Loki and understood that he meant it.  
"I didn't mean to drag her in" Thor said.  
"And what did you expect me to do Thor? Just let you die if I had the chance to save you?" Cara said. "What should I have told your mother?"  
Thor didn't say anything about that.  
"So let's not have any more trips to Hel, at least not trips that means that some of us are dying" Cara said and smiled towards Thor.  
"Agreed" Bruce said and Thor just nodded.  
"So now I want something to eat, I didn't know it, but visiting hell makes you really hungry" Cara said with a laugh and Loki just gave her a look but then followed her out of Thors room towards the kitchen.


	13. I have the key

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, now I am finally back, and yeah I am not to happy with this chapter. But I couldn't get it any better, so I am so, so, so sorry. I hope you can at least get threw it.
> 
> Anyway, I know that Peggy is like super old and dead in the original, I just don't give a shit about it, so I skipped that part and made her as old as Steve, because I ship them and not Steve and Sharon.  
> I also wanted the other girls meet Cara. And in the story Cara don't know there names at first, but to make it easier for you, I just wrote there names. Thought it would be easier to read like it.
> 
> And I promise that in next chapter we will know more about the kids. Hope you guys will like that.
> 
> So enjoy the chapter or something :)

Pepper stood in the elevator, she hadn't been in the tower for a few weeks. She had just arrived from a trip overseas, it had been a boring business trip, but it had at least been successful. And now she was finally back in New York and she smiled.

She had been looking forward to this day. Every month she and Tony had a date night with Steve and Peggy, and Bruce and Betty, sometimes Thor and Jane would join them, or even Clint and Natasha. And with all of them working so much it was nice to have at least one day a month that they saw each other. She just didn't hope that Tony had forgotten this time too. Not that she would have been surprised since that happened more often then he remembered.

When she stepped out of the elevator and into the common room, after dropping of her belongings in her and Tony's room, she saw that Jane and Peggy was already there. They sat at the table talking about something she couldn't hear. When she approached them the two women smiled at her.

"Pepper" Peggy said when she stood in front of them. "We wasn't sure if you would make it this time"  
"Oh I wouldn't miss this day" Pepper said when she sat down. "Was surprised to see you here tho Jane. I thought you couldn't get away?"  
"I managed to get some time off, or rather Eric and Darcy forced me to go" Jane said with a smile.  
"So have you seen Betty? Or any of our dates?" Pepper asked.  
"Betty said she couldn't come. I don't know why, but I have a feeling that things aren't too good between her and Bruce, but I didn't want to ask. Not yet at least" Peggy added when the other two gave her a look. "And the guys said they should be here, but I haven't seen them yet"  
"I can almost bet that Tony have forgot again" Pepper said and shook her head.  
"Nothing unusual, and it wouldn't be a date night if he didn't" Jane said and laughed.  
"Thor isn't much better" Pepper said and gave her a look.  
"That is true. You are lucky Peggy, Steve knows how to treat a lady" Jane said "But Thor also said that he had something to tell me, I don't know what."  
"Steve said the same" Peggy added and Pepper nodded.  
"Tony too. What is that important that they have to tell all three of us?" Pepper asked.  
"Maybe it has something to do with the Avengers" Jane said.  
"I haven't heard anything. But they keep the information about the Avengers as much of a secret they can" Peggy said and the others nodded.  
"So can it be something else?" Jane asked.  
"I just don't hope it some of Tony's reckless ideas, like a trip to the moon or anything." Pepper said and thought that it was something her boyfriend could do.  
"I would rather preferred if Thor had decided to take us all to a trip to Asgard" Jane said and the other two nodded before they started talking about what the guys wanted to tell them.

* * *

After two hours waiting for the others they had long dropped the question on what they wanted to tell them and instead talked about what had happened since the last time they saw each other. Until they had made something to eat.  
"They aren't normally this late. Did they say that they would do something?" Jane asked and the other two.  
"Not what I am aware of. But the tower is really quite. Maybe they are off on a mission" Peggy said.  
"Jarvis, can you tell me the wear about on the Avengers?" Pepper asked.  
"Of course Miss. Potts. Doctor Banner left the tower four hours ago, he is right now walking around the city. Miss Romanoff and Mr. Barton left to talk with Nick Fury. Mr. Rogers got call from Sam Wilson, don't know what it is about. Thor left for Asgard, I assume at least. And where Mr. Stark is I don't know, since he shut me down and made it impossible for me to track him." Jarvis said.  
"None of them are here. That is surprising" Peggy said.  
"For Tony to leave or even Thor isn't that surprising, but Steve doing it is…" Pepper started when she suddenly stopped and just stared.  
"Pepper?" Jane asked, wondering what she looked at since she sat opposite of her at the table.  
"You!" Pepper said and stood up, staring at Loki who had been on his way to the kitchen. Jane had turned and stood up next to Peggy who draw her gun.  
"What are you doing here?" Jane asked in an angry voice.  
"Are you the reason that they all have left the tower? Have you sent them all into traps?" Peggy said, pointing her gun at him.  
"Answer us!" Pepper said in an angry voice and Loki took a stepp back, trying to get away from them as they had taken a few steps towards him.  
"He must be the reason! He is an enemy; he has tried to kill them before!" Jane said and looked for something to defend herself with.  
"You almost got Tony killed!" Pepper said and threw an apple at Loki, the only thing she had in her hand at the moment. Loki tried to avoid it, but when she threw another fruit at him he couldn't. If Pepper had been less angry she would have thought of what she did, but she could still see Tony falling from the sky, almost dying. She couldn't bear the thought of losing him.  
"Tell us where they are! What have you done to them" Jane said, once again demanding to know where the others were. They all walked closer to Loki who just stood there, not sure how to handle the situation.  
"You monster, what do you plan on doing with them?" Pepper asked as she walked close enough to slap him. Loki backed away, almost tripping over his own feet doing so. The women saw how he tried to run away from them.  
"Stop or I shoot you!" Peggy said and raised her gun, not even sure if it would work on him, but she had to try. Loki being back on earth couldn't be a good sign, especially not if the Avengers was missing.

Loki didn't stop moving and Peggy fired her gun, hoping it would work, at least wound him, so she could call for backup, because they would need it.  
The bullet flew towards Loki when suddenly a blue barrier stopped it. Peggy saw a woman standing on the other side. Not knowing who she was, only knowing that she had defended Loki, Peggy fired her gun again hoping that it would break the barrier. But nothing happened, nothing else then that the bullet stopped and ended up on the floor.  
"Who are you?" Peggy asked and the woman looked at them.  
"Cara" she just said in a very cold voice before she turned to Loki. Loki was sitting on the floor, covering his face with his arms, trying to protect himself.  
"Loki it's me, Cara" she said and sat down in front of him. "It's over"  
Loki just shook his head, not daring to look at her.  
"I would never lie to you, you know that" she said, trying to make him calm down, but Loki didn't look at her and she saw tears falling and she tried not to be angry at the women. Instead she started to sing the same song she had sung to him before.

"What's going on?" Jane asked, watching the scene before her.  
"Tony said that Loki has the power to control people, think that's what he is doing with her? Making her protect him?" Pepper asked.  
"I don't know. She seems to care about him, but I am not familiar with how the mind controlling works" Peggy said. "But if she is protecting Loki, she must be on his side, and therefore she is an enemy too. Maybe she has a part in the others being missing"  
"What shall we do?" Pepper asked.  
"Have you called for backup?" Jane asked Peggy.  
"Not yet. I don't want to send in more men for Loki to either kill or take control of" she admitted.  
"But we three aren't a threat to him. He can easily take us on. Even if I am not sure what kind of game he is playing now" Pepper said and looked at Loki who seemed to be scared, something she didn't bought for a second.  
"I say that we try to take her out, we need to get rid of the barrier" Peggy told them.  
"And how do you think we should do that? Bullets can't break it" Jane informed her.  
"I don't know. I am not sure what the material is made off" Peggy admitted.  
"Jarvis what are the barrier made of?" Peggy asked in a low voice, hoping that the woman wouldn't hear them.  
"Magic, miss Potts" Jarvis only said and at his words the woman turned around and looked at them.

"Don't try to do anything stupid, I do not wish to harm you, since you are friends, or more likely girlfriends to some of the Avengers. But I will do so if you try to do anything" Cara said without taking her eyes of Loki, who seemed to have calmed down enough to at least look at her and she smiled.  
"Sorry that I wasn't here earlier" she said and Loki looked at her and then looked down in shame. "Nothing to be a shamed off. I know how it feels. Remember when my father come for me, I couldn't do anything, you were the one that saved me"  
Loki didn't answer her and she hadn't expected it. He had talked a few times, but she also know that it would take a long time before he talked normal to her, and especially after how scared he had just been.

Cara saw moments in the corner of her eye and ducked and Peggy who had tried to kick her from behind, taking a guess that the barrier wouldn't stop her, missed her.  
Cara stood up and sighed. Loki looked terrified at the woman who walked closer to him and Cara.  
"Why do people never listen?" Cara said in a tired voice as the woman got closer. Cara didn't wish to hurt them, knowing that it wouldn't help the situation when the others got back. But she wouldn't let them hurt Loki, not for anything in the world. She would kill them if that was what it took to keep him safe.  
Peggy walked towards her, when Cara saw Jane coming from the side, trying to kick Loki, hoping that Peggy would distract her. Cara let the magic flow in her hands as she sent Jane flying through the air just as someone tackled her from the side. Cara saw how that made Jane hit the wall making a sound of pain, before Cara herself hit the wall, feeling the pain in her head, and she saw how her view got blurry. She saw someone sitting over her, trying to keep her down.  
"Peggy give me the handcuffs" Cara heard Pepper say. Cara tried to fight, but Pepper just grabbed her head and she felt how she hit the wall once more, and she had a hard time to try to stay awake. She tried to summon magic to break free, but she couldn't concentrate enough to get the magic to work with her.

Suddenly she felt the cold steel of the handcuffs on her and she felt the panic raise, she was captured, she couldn't handle that. She had tried to work on it through the years, but sometimes the fear of being captured again, took over, especially when she didn't know the ones that captured. She didn't know what they would do to her. She tried to break free once more, but she was stuck. She tried to see where Loki was, but she couldn't see him, her sight was to blurry, especially since she felt the tiredness coming over her.  
Then she heard him sob in fear.  
"Loki" she said as calm as she could. "It's going to be okay. Don't be afraid"  
She wasn't even sure how it would be okay, but she had to make sure it would be okay, for Loki's sake.  
"Where are they?" Pepper asked.  
"They are out. I don't know exact where" she answered.  
"Don't lie to us! Loki is here, and they aren't where has he taken them?" Pepper said.  
"He hasn't taken them" she said as she tried to stay awake.  
"Don't lie to us." Peggy said and she suddenly felt a gun towards her head.  
"I am not lying" Cara answered. She was calm now, if they wanted to shoot her, it wasn't much she could do about it. When she was near death she was always calm, knowing that the day she dies would come.  
"Let her go" Loki suddenly said and Cara felt the magic in the air. She felt Pepper and Peggy let go of her, she heard them landing on the floor somewhere in the room, she couldn't see them tho. Suddenly she felt someone take her in her arms and at first she made a sound in fear, not seeing who it was but she soon understood that it was Loki. He had let go of her when she had made the sound.  
"Sorry Loki, you did nothing wrong. I can't see right now. Think I have a concussion, so you just scared me for a second" she explained and she soon felt the arms around her again. "Are you alright?" she asked him and Loki nodded and she guessed that was the only answer she would get. She felt his tears as the landed on her skin but she didn't say anything, she just hold him back.  
"It's alright, you are safe now" she said to Loki and smiled a tired smile. "I will just close my eyes for a second…"

* * *

The sound of voices around her woke her up. She still felt Loki's arms around her and she smiled, glad that he had stayed with her.  
"How could you not tell us?" she heard Pepper ask.  
"We was about to tell you when we got back. We didn't know that you would run into him" Tony answered.  
"Didn't know? Tony this must be the most irresponsible thing you have ever done" Pepper said.  
"I don't know that, remember when I…" Tony started.  
"It's not a competition" Pepper said.  
"All you had to do was send us a text" Peggy said.  
"We thought it was better to take this face to face" Steve said.

Cara stopped listening when she felt how Loki tensed up, then she heard steps walking towards her. She tried not to think about it, and just be calm, so Loki wouldn't get even more scared.  
"Here" she heard Bruce say. "It's a tea that will help with the pain"  
"Thank you" she answered him and took a sip of it. She wasn't in pain, but the gesture was nice so she didn't say anything about it. Her magic removed the pain for now, but she didn't have enough energy to heal properly. She could still not see as she should, but it was at least better.  
"It was nothing. Sorry for not being here" Bruce said.  
"Nothing to be sorry for. You aren't to blame for this" Cara said and Bruce didn't answer as he just walked away again.  
"Loki I am going to try to stand up" she informed him before she stood up, a bit unsteady, but she still stood up. Loki stood next to her and she smiled.  
"Do any of you have the keys to this?" Cara asked the others and they stopped their talking.  
"I have them" Peggy said and Cara could hear her walking towards her, and she felt how Loki once again tensed up.  
"It's alright Loki. And if you feel like it you can go to your room and I will be there soon" she said and smiled at him. She could tell that he was thinking about it, even if she didn't see it. "Don't worry Loki, I will not think less of you. I understand how you feel, I just want you to be where you feel the safest"  
Loki then nodded before he squeezed her hand and walked away, and that made Cara feel better, knowing that she didn't need to worry about him.  
"Here are the key. I am Peggy, that is Jane and Pepper" Peggy said when Cara turned away from the direction Loki had walked off and looked at Peggy and the other women.  
"Nice to meet you" Cara said and held her hands so Peggy could remove the cuffs. When the cuffs was off Cara felt better at once, she was free. "And thank you"  
"We do apologize about this" Pepper said and Cara shook her head.  
"No need to apologize. You just protected yourself and the ones you loved, just like I did" she told them. "I do hope I or rather we, didn't hurt you"  
"Nothing we can't handle" Jane said.  
"But I am afraid we hurt you very badly" Pepper said.  
"Nothing to worry about, when the magic kicks in it will heal in no time" Cara answered.  
"How come that you magic hasn't already?" Bruce asked.  
"Oh, I was down with Fandrall and tried to get some answers out of him, not in a nice way. But it made me end up using a lot of magic, I wasn't prepared for a fight. Stupid of me, not to be prepared, but somethings you never learn. Anyway the talk with Fandrall, and the fight made me us up almost all of my magic" she explained.  
"So you just used a little bit of magic?" Pepper asked and she nodded.  
"Yes" Cara answered and smiled.  
"Guess we was lucky then" Jane said. "I would love to know more about your magic sometime"  
"Sometime" Cara just answered.  
"Will Loki be alright?" Steve asked.  
"I hope so. I will go and talk to him soon" she said.  
"He was really upset when we got back. I think he was afraid that you wouldn't wake up. He didn't let any of us near you" Tony said and Cara smiled.  
"After his children I just think he is afraid of losing someone else" she said.  
"I am not sure it's only that. He really cares about you" Bruce told her and she nodded.  
"As I care about him" she informed them.  
"We could tell" Peggy said and laughed when they all heard a loud bang on the roof.  
"Looks like the big guy is back" Tony said.  
"Finally" Jane smiled.  
"I will leave you then, so you can do what you all planned on doing." Cara said to them. "But I will start the dinner in a hour or so"  
"No you will not!" Steve said and she gave him a confusing look. "You will rest, we will manage to make the dinner"  
"Clint will not be happy to hear that when he is back" Tony said and laughed.  
"He has to manage" Steve said.  
"Thank you" Cara only said before she started walking towards Loki's room, very slowly.

* * *

When she arrived she knocked on the door and Loki soon opened with a worried look.  
"I am alright, just a bit tired that is all. Are you alright?" she asked and he nodded and she smiled, glad that he was alright. "Thank you for helping me, and staying with me when I passed out"  
Those words made Loki smile at her and she just smiled back.  
"Anyway, I need to go to my room and sleep. Call on me if you need something" she told him when he took her hand.  
"Stay" was all he said and she smiled.  
"If you want me to stay I will stay" she said "I can sleep on the couch"  
But Loki didn't let go of her hand when he walked over to the bed and she smiled.  
"Are you sure?" she asked and he nodded. "You can ask me to leave whenever you want"  
Loki didn't say anything as he laid down and she did the same.  
"Good night Loki" she said and he didn't answer but he putted his arm around her and Cara smiled before she once again felt a sleep.

* * *

"So he hasn't done anything when he has stayed here?" Pepper asked.  
"No" Tony said "Not anything like this at least. Clint said he gave me a look that said he wanted to kill me after I made Cara drop the plate and cut herself on one of the shards"  
"Wow, he is over protective" Pepper said.  
"Cara has always been special for my brother" Thor said.  
"I could tell. It was actually hard to tell that it was the same guy that tried to take over the planet." Jane said as she put the food on the table.  
"Especially when he was trying to run away from us. We thought it was a trick" Peggy informed them.  
"Can't blame you there. We had a hard time believing it wasn't a trick at first too." Tony said. "But after seeing him react like you did a lot of times, and Cara trying to calm him down kind of convinced us"  
"That and Thor's story" Bruce said.  
"Oh yeah that too, and that one of the rapist, that are locked up" Tony said and started to eat.  
"I have a hard time to see how your father can treat your brother like that" Jane said to Thor.  
"I am having a hard time to understand it myself. It doesn't feel like father. But after finding Loki and knowing what happened, I can't tell who my father is anymore" Thor said with food in his mouth.  
"But what will happen when Loki becomes himself?" Peggy asked and they all looked at each other. They had all wondered that, not sure they wanted to know.  
"We don't know. I guess we just hope that Cara can keep him in control, or that we can take him down again" Tony admitted.  
"I have faith in Cara" Thor said.  
"I understand why, but let's hope that she don't turn on us for Loki's sake" Bruce said in a low voice.  
"Let's hope that" Steve admitted and they all went silent.

* * *

"Let's watch a movie" Tony finally said and the others nodded.  
"That sounds great" Pepper smiled at him and they all went over to the TV to watch a movie and try to forget about what could happen if Loki become himself again.

Half way into the movie they all felt better, maybe it was because it was a bad movie they all could laugh too, or the wine. Or maybe it was because Clint and Natasha got back, asking if anything had happened while they were gone, and then looking and them when they all started to laugh. Neither Clint or Natasha understood what was so funny but they joined in on the movie and they all just had a fun and calm night.


	14. An unexpected visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that it isn't any Cara and Loki in this chapter, but I felt like I needed to focus on some other things too. And the kids wasn't in it super much, but I don't want to make it to easy, that would be so boring. But you will get more and more information, trust me, I have a plan.
> 
> And I am sorry, but I am the worst at writing as Jane, or any of the other girls. I just hope that you people still likes the story. I sometimes feels like it isn't as good as it was when I started it, but I will try to write as well as I did then. And I hope that you will keep reading it, I love when you do!
> 
> Anyway, kind of happy with the chapter. And I just felt like the Avengers needs to met some enemies sometime. I mean they can't just sit around the tower and never do anything.
> 
> And I promise that you will get more Loki and Cara in the next chapter. Can't promise the kids yet, but they will be in the story.
> 
> I will also try to focus on the other characters from time to time, just so people see what they think and do. And I will try to write them as well as I can.
> 
> So enjoy the reading :)

When Cara entered the kitchen the next morning she looked at the mess and signed, how did the others manage to create that kind of mess. She just shook her head before she used some magic to start cleaning.

"I am sorry for this Lady Cara" Jarvis said and she looked up.  
"Can hardly blame you for this" she said with a smile as she started to make breakfast. While she made the breakfast she thought of how happy she was that Loki started to be less skinny. He was still skinny, but at least he started to look like himself. She just hoped that he would fully become himself one day.

"You shouldn't have cleaned" Cara heard Jane say from behind and she turned around with a plate of fruit in her hands.  
"I kind of needed to be able to use the kitchen" she said and placed the plate on the table. "But I cheated and used magic, so don't worry about it"  
"Must be handy to have magic?" Jane asked as she took a cup of coffee.  
"Most time it is" Cara answered as she started to bring out the rest of the breakfast.  
"You do this every morning for them?" Jane asked and looked at the table.  
"I do. I mostly do it for Loki's sake. He needs the food. So I just make some extra as a thanks. They let us stay here after all" Cara said.  
"Thor didn't give us a choice, threaten us and all" Tony said as he stepped into the kitchen with Pepper next to him. Cara smiled at how well dressed Pepper was, while Tony just looked like he just left the bed.  
"I can't take responsibility for Thor's actions" Cara just answered as she putted the last things on a tray and left for Loki's room.

"You guys are really lucky to get this good food everyday" Peggy said when she and Steve had joined the others after their run.  
"I know. I love this food!" Clint said while chewing his food and Natasha just gave him an look.  
"But isn't strange to have Loki here?" Jane asked.  
"It was at first. But now, well we barely meet him, he is still very scared of us. The times we have been alone with him has been terrible" Bruce said.  
"I would say Natasha handles it well" Cara said as she returned.  
"Already back?" Steve asked.  
"Natasha wasn't alone with him!" Tony protested at the same moment as Steve talked to Cara.  
"He is sleeping, and I do not wish to wake him" she said and Bruce thought of how Loki didn't want to wake Cara either when she was asleep. "And Tony, even if Natasha wasn't alone with Loki, I am sure she would do a better job than any of you guys did"  
"Just because she is a woman and you guys don't scare Loki" Tony protested.  
"We scared him yesterday" Peggy added and Tony gave her a look.  
"You are strangers to him!" he answered.  
"Doesn't matter. You guys just make it worst when you are alone with him. You even threw books at him Tony!" Cara said with a smile.  
"Tony!" Pepper said in a very schooling voice and the others laughed when Tony tried to explain to Pepper what happened.

* * *

They all talked and had a nice time when they got interrupted by a sound of someone landing on the roof. They all looked at each other, that wasn't right.  
"Tony, have you installed the anti-magic device?" Cara asked.  
"I have. But I had to make sure Thor could use the roof if he needed. The big oaf refuse to use the door as a normal person" Tony told her.  
"Can anyone else accesses?" she asked as they all had stood, waiting for what would happen.  
"I do not know. I haven't tried or built anything like this before. It shouldn't be possible" Tony answered and she nodded.  
"But what happen if the person don't try to use magic to get in? If they just use the door like Thor?" Jane asked.  
"Then they will get in. I just build it to stop people from getting in with magic" Tony said. "This is why you should use a key Thor!"  
"I would misplace it all the time dear friend, therefore I would be stuck on the roof, or be forced to break down the door" Thor told him and Tony was about to answer something when they all heard steps.  
"Jarvis who is it?" Tony asked.  
"I do not know Sir. She is unfamiliar for me and I can't find her in any database" Jarvis informed him.  
"What do I have you for?" Tony muttered.  
"For what you have created me for. You haven't created me so I can identify her" Jarvis said in a cold voice and Tony was about to answer him when the step got closer and they all ready themselves, not sure if the woman was a friend or an enemy.

Then the woman walked around the corner she stopped in surprise, seeing them all so defensive and on their guard, and that made her laugh a warm laugh.  
"I am sorry if I frightened you my children" she said still laughing and soon Cara and Thor joined in. The others looked at them.  
"This my friends, is my mother Frigga" Thor said after he had hugged the woman and the others nodded, and lowered their guard.  
"It is lovely to see you" Cara said and stepped forward and hugged Frigga too.  
"As it is to see you too" Frigga answered and then looked at the others. "I am to assume that you are all the friends Thor have talked so highly off"  
"You talk about us with your mother" Tony said and smiled. "Didn't know that you was such a mommy's boy"  
"Tony" Pepper said and Tony stopped smiling. "I am sorry your highness"  
"Oh don't' be. Thor have told me all about Tony's behaviour." Frigga said and smiled. "But I am afraid to make you disappointed Anthony, Thor isn't mommy's boy, he always was his father's boy. Loki was rather mothers boy"  
"Loki?" Tony said in surprise. "The evil, power hungry, villain…"  
Pepper hit Tony this time and he stopped but Frigga just laughed.  
"Time can change people" she just said before she turned to Cara. "How is he doing?"  
"Join us at the table and I will tell you" Cara said and they sat down at the table.

* * *

Thor had watched his mother as Cara told the story, he saw that she was near tears a few times, and when Cara told Frigga about Loki's reaction when Sleipnir died, he saw her cry. Thor hadn't thought about it, but Frigga had also lost someone, Sleipnir was her grandchild and she had loved him very much, just like she did with all of her grandchildren.  
"My boy" Frigga just said when Cara was done.  
"I am sorry if I caused you pain by telling you this" Cara said.  
"The pain wasn't created by you, it was created by the man I once loved" Frigga said and Thor looked at his mother and took her hand, and Frigga smiled at her oldest.  
"I am sorry for getting emotional" Frigga said.  
"Every mother that loves her kid would" Steve said and Frigga smiled at him.

"Mother why are you here?" Thor asked when Frigga looked more collected.  
"Can't a mother visit her son?" she said teasing Thor for saying something similar that night a few weeks ago.  
"She can, but you never do when I am in Midgard, and there for I am guessing you have something to tell us" Thor said.  
"That is correct. I am here to pass on some information" Frigga started "At first I will tell you that raping another person is punishable with either life time in prison or death depending on the case. Unfortunately, Odin is the one that gives the sentences and I can say that it's not a trial Loki would win. Therefore we need a way to…"  
Frigga stopped, not sure how continue.

"Get rid of Odin" Cara said and Frigga nodded "That is treason"  
"I didn't think you cared about that" Clint said and Cara smiled.  
"I do not care about that. Seeing Odin gone would bring me much joy, but he isn't my king, father or husband. Therefore, I can't decide that. Neither is Asgard my home. Starting a revolution in the kingdom isn't my sake to do." She said and looked at Frigga and Thor. "I know the hate you feel against Odin for what he has done to Loki, but I am asking you two to think about this before you start something. Not only for your own sake, but also for your country. Being royal means that you cannot only think of yourself. If you feel like acting upon this, you have my fully support and I would drag Odin from the throne myself if I get the chance, but think about it before you do this"  
"You seem to know a lot about this?" Pepper said.  
"I have been in more than one war over a throne. I have also worn more than one crown, both in war and peace" she just said.  
"You are royal?" Clint asked.  
"It's not the time for that, but in a way I am. My father ruled in my world. He wasn't a king, but a ruler and people called me the dark princess. I have also worn crowns as kings queens" she just said and turned back to Frigga and Thor.  
"We will think about it, for the sake of the people" Frigga said and Cara nodded.  
"I am trusting you to do what you feel is the right" Cara just said.

"Mother do you have some more information to pass on?" Thor asked and Frigga nodded.  
"I managed to get hold of the information that Narfi and Váli is here in Midgard. I do not know where they may be, but I know that they are here." She said.  
"They are here? On earth?" Thor said in surprise.  
"Wasn't that what I just told you?" Frigga said with a smile.  
"I was just surprised mother, not thinking that they would be here." Thor explained "We need to tell Loki"  
Thor stood up and was on his way to Loki's room when Cara stopped him.  
"We shall do no such thing! We don't know where they are, if they are alive or anything. Giving Loki hope that two of his children are alive may make him feel better now, but I cannot answer for what will happen if he finds out that they have died before we finds them. I want us to be very careful about this"  
"But it his children, they can make him happy again" Thor said.  
"They can if they are alive. Trust me Thor, getting the hope up that you child is alive and then get the information that they aren't is the worst" she told him "Let's see if we can find them first. And also give Loki time to get better. I don't want him to rush himself to get better in case he may meet his children. Rushing yourself in this case is never good, been there, done that. Didn't end pretty" she told him and Thor slowly nodded and sat down.  
"I don't like it" Thor protested.  
"I understand why, and if I feel like it is the right time to tell Loki about his children I will let you do so" she promised him and Thor smiled like a kid.  
"Really?" he said and she just nodded and rolled her eyes at his reaction before she turned to Tony.

"Do you have the possibility to track down people?" she asked and he just laughed.  
"I have the possibility to do anything, and if I can't do it I can pay someone that can or buy something that can" Tony said.  
"Then can I ask of you to try to find Loki's sons?" she asked.  
"Do you have a picture of them?" Tony asked and looked at any of them.  
"I have a magical hologram, would that work?" Frigga asked.  
"I guess. Jarvis just need to see their faces before he starts to scan every place he can" Tony said and Frigga nodded and let the hologram of two happy playing two years old twins show. Cara looked at them, both having dark hair, one of them having almost ice blue eyes and the other really dark blue eyes. They was really beautiful and she could see Loki in them, but also features from what she could only guess was Sigyn, their mother.  
"Oh they are so cute" Jane said and looked at them and then at Thor. "They much have been fun playing with"  
"Didn't play much with them. I have rarely even met them" he admitted a shamed.  
"You can always change that if we find them" Cara said and Thor looked at her. "I don't think Loki would mind"  
"You don't think?" Thor said.  
"No I don't think he would. But I can't be sure. It is his children, therefore it will be his choice" she just said.  
"Done" Tony said after a while and Frigga let the magic disappear and Tony started giving instructions to Jarvis.  
"I am hoping you will find them in time" Frigga said.  
"We will do everything we can" Cara assured her and Frigga smiled.  
"I think you will. But now I need to return to Asgard, I don't want Odin to know what I am doing" Frigga said and stood up.  
"Don't you want to meet Loki mother?" Thor asked.  
"I do not think he is ready for that yet. But I will return" Frigga said and hugged Thor and Cara before she gave the other a smile and she walked off to the roof.

* * *

Thor sat on the couch, thinking. He was wishing that they would find Narfi and Váli in time. He wanted to do at least that for Loki, it felt like it was the only thing he could do. Because as it was now he was to no help. Even if Loki left his room and had actually talked to him, even if it was to threaten him or ask him to leave, Loki wasn't comfortable around him. Thor couldn't help Loki feel better. He couldn't be there for his brother, just like he hadn't been during their childhood. Thor had started to realise that. He had thought he had been there for Loki, but with time and the information he had got he understood that so wasn't the case. He was a lousy brother, and he understood why Loki had hated him so.

Thor sighed, not knowing what to do. He also thought of what Cara said, about starting a war. Thor had been in wars before, a lot of them, but never in his home town, and not against his own father. What would happen if they did start a war? What would the people do and feel? Would they even be able to defeat Odin? He wasn't all father for nothing. Would people support them? Thor know that they wouldn't if they told them that the war was for Loki. Thor also started to understand how much the people disliked Loki, and that was long before he did something. Thor understood how much Odin had wanted to destroy Loki's life, and how much he had hated him, what Thor didn't understand was why? Why had Odin brought Loki back, why not let him die from the beginning? Thor felt like he needed so many answers, but he couldn't get them now. Maybe if they brought down Odin he would get the answers, and they could judge him for what he has done towards Loki. If the people let them do it. But then Thor shook his head, he didn't care about what the people thought at this moment. They would never get Loki any justice, they would never give him a chance, but Thor didn't care because he would give Loki some justice, or at least revenge. If his mother was on his side he should go up against Odin, for Loki's sake.

"Thor?" Jane said as she sat down next to him.  
"Yeah?" Thor answered and looked at her.  
"Are you feeling alright?" she asked and Thor smiled.  
"I am feeling alright, besides the worry for Loki" he admitted.  
"Worrying about a sibling is normal, even if your case is special" she said and leaned against Thor.  
"Everything about Loki has always been special" Thor told her and laughed.  
"I can imagine" Jane said and laughed too.

"Where is the others?" Thor asked when they had stopped laughing.  
"I don't know where everyone is, but Cara went to Loki. Tony, Steve and Peggy went down to his lab to look for the children. Pepper said she would read and the others I do not know about" she answered.  
"Is Loki alright?" Thor asked.  
"Cara didn't say anything, so I guess he is. If he wasn't she would have told you" Jane said and Thor nodded, knowing that it was true.  
"And did Tony say how long it will take before they find the children?" Thor asked.  
"He didn't, but it can take days, or weeks, so you may need to wait a long time" Jane said.  
"That's awfully long. What if something happens to them?" Thor asked.  
"Can't be helped. You can't fly around earth looking for them, that may take even longer time" Jane said and laughed and Thor pretended that it wasn't what he thought he could do. "But it's sweet that you want to help your brother that much"  
"He is my brother after all. No matter what he did I never stopped loving him" Thor told her and she nodded and was just about to say something when the alarm sounded in the tower.

"Work" Thor said and Jane nodded, knowing what the alarm meant.  
"Avengers, it looks like Mr. Fury demands your present against The Enchantress" Jarvis voice called out.  
"Thor be careful! You know that she wants to kill you!" Jane said.  
"Don't they all?" Thor laughed and Jane gave him an look.  
"I promise to be careful, if you are too. For some reason she has tried to go after you before" Thor said.  
"It is because she loves you, or rather think she loves you and I am in the way" Jane said and Thor laughed again.  
"She is so silly. I will never love her! I love you" he said and Jane nodded.  
"I know that. But she is crazy and think you will love her" Jane said and Thor just laughed again.  
"I need to get her to stop with that madness." He said and started walking towards the elevator and the room where he would me the others. "But stay here, you should be safe in the tower"  
"I will stay here and be safe, like a defenceless lady" Jane said in a bitter tone.  
"Against her you are! So keep clear of the windows and stay low" Thor said before he left her and Jane sighed.  
"All this crazy people in the world, and all of the seem to be magicians" she said before she walked away from the common room and the windows, hoping that everything would be alright.


	15. You should join us on the battlefield

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the next chapter and I am really happy with it. I had fun writing it, and it was nice to have Jane in the story. But I must apologize to the ones that love Enchantress and that knows a lot about her. I do not. So she may be very out of character. And I am also sorry if someone likes her and I turn her to one of the monsters.
> 
> And yes the name quote is from Harry Potter. Haha but well Cara is from that story from the beginning so ofc she have heard it.
> 
> Besides that I do not think I have much more to say. So enjoy the chapter :)

To be honest Jane hated when she visited Thor and he got called out on a mission, but she hated it even more when it was Enchantress was the one they fought. When she was on earth Jane was forced to stay hidden in the tower. It was even worst that she was alone, she hated it. Normally she didn't mind being alone, but having Enchantress so close scared her, not that she would ever admit that to anyone, especially not Thor. Thor would either guard her and be like an overprotective mother, or he would threw himself into battle even more, trying to kill Enchantress, and maybe die himself.

So Jane kept the feelings to herself, but she wished she didn't need to. She wished that Pepper hadn't returned to her work or that Peggy had also disappeared. But with both of them living and working so close, they didn't need to take time off to see their boyfriends and they would often return to their work the day after their date night.

Jane had walked over to the kitchen, preparing some of Bruce calm tea, trying to not think of Enchantress. She would need to do something to keep her thought of her, but she didn't know what.

* * *

"Let's make some cookies Loki" Jane turned around and saw Cara walk into the kitchen with Loki by her side. Both of them stopped when they saw her. "Oh hi Jane"  
Cara smiled at her, while Loki looked really unsure, and Jane understood him, she was really unsure about the situation herself. Loki had tried to kill Thor, she couldn't really understand why, not getting the whole story from Thor. And yesterday she had tried to attack him before she got to know what happened to him, and she didn't know what to think about it. Did she hate him or did she feel sorry for him?  
"Hi Cara, hi Loki" she finally said in a low voice. Cara looked at them both and smiled.  
"I still want cookies, and I would still appreciate the company Loki" she said to him and he slowly nodded. "And you are feel free to join in if you want Jane?"

Jane looked at them, she needed something to do, but bake cookies with Loki wasn't something she even had dreamt of, even if Cara was there. But they were company and maybe they could keep her mind of Enchantress.  
"I would love to" she said and Cara nodded.  
"Great" she said and then snapped her hand and a book appeared, Jane guessed a cookbook. "So let's see which one we should do?"  
She started to turn the pages while Loki carefully looked over her shoulder, until he pointed at a recipe.  
"Chocolate cookies with coconut?" she asked and Loki nodded. "Well then let's get started"

* * *

Jane watched Cara as she placed the ingredients on the table, and then went for all the bowls.  
"I haven't baked this one in years" she said in a low voice, and she seemed to be very emotional.  
"Why not?" Jane asked and Cara looked at her.  
"I used to do it with my godfather, he is now dead so I just haven't…" she said and Loki gave her an sorry look, and Jane guessed he meant to tell her that they could make something else.  
"Oh don't worry about it. They are amazing, and he would just be happy to know that we make them" she said and looked a bit happier. Loki gave her an asking look. "Sometimes the best way to remember and honour someone is to do something in their memory. So let's make the cookies in his memory"

Jane looked between them, kind of fascinated over how much Cara could understand by the looks Loki gave her. And also over how much he seemed to care about her.  
"So Jane, do you want to help me or do you prefer to watch and just drink your tea?" Cara asked nicely.  
"I can help you. But I warn you, I am no good at cooking or baking" she said and laughed.  
"You can't get better if you don't get the chance" Cara said and gave her a bowl. "You can start by mixing the egg with sugar"  
"Mixing egg with sugar, got it" Jane said as Cara turned on the oven.  
"Want to try Loki?" she asked him and Loki looked at her then the bowl and then finally Jane. "And don't worry if you can't make cookies either. I will teach you if you like?"  
Loki then shook his head and Cara smiled.  
"Well then you can just judge us and see us fail" she said with a laugh.  
"Oh shush, you will not fail at this. I may, but not you" Jane said.  
"I was trying to be modest" Cara just admitted as she started with her own bowl.

* * *

Jane admitted she had really fun. Cara was really easy going, and a great teacher. Jane who normally would have destroyed the dough by now actually did a good job.  
"So now we just place them on the baking sheet?" Jane asked.  
"Yes. And if you want you can make them in different shapes" Cara said and started to place her in different animal shapes.  
"How do you do that?" Jane said as she watched her.  
"Practice, and of course a bit magic" she said and laughed.  
"You use magic for everything" Jane said and started to place her cookies on the sheet in normal circles.  
"Not everything. I have learned how to do stuff without it. I have had times in my life when I couldn't use my magic" she explained.  
"Why not?" Jane asked.  
"Different reasons I do not wish to think or talk about" she just said and then smiled. "So who did the Avengers go to stop this time?"  
Cara handled over the ladle to Loki who looked at it before he started to eat the dough and Cara smiled.  
"The went after Enchantress this time" Jane said in a bitter voice.  
"Amora is here?" Loki said in a surprised and scared voice. Cara looked at him, understanding that something was wrong, just not what.

"Yes I am Loks" a voice suddenly said behind them and Jane turned around in horror. There in the door stood a blond woman with a smile that made Jane shiver.  
Loki looked really unsure and stood up, and he looked like he was ready to run away any minute.  
"And look here is also Jane Foster, what a bonus. Not only can I see Loki again, my sweet Loks, I also get you" Amora said. "But I do not know you"  
Cara who had put the baking sheets in the oven turned around and smiled.  
"I am Cara, nice to meet you" she only said.  
"Nice to meet me? You must not know who I am" Amora said and laughed.  
"Not really, I only know of you name, and fear of a name only increase the fear of the things itself" Cara said and started to clean the kitchen.  
"Silly human. You should fear me!" Amora said in now an angry voice and Jane was scared and she thought of Thor. If Enchantress was here, what had happened to the others?  
"Should I now? Well I am sorry to make you disappointed." Cara said as she walked around the table to stay next to Jane and in front of Loki, leaning against the table.  
"You have a death wish?" Amora asked and Cara smiled.  
"Not really, but I may be stupid enough to speak the truth." She just admitted and Jane envied how she wasn't scared. "So what do you want with my friends here?"  
"Your friends? Your friends?" Amora almost shouted. "They are your friends? I have never seen you around any of them. And Loks have never mentioned you"  
"They are my friends, and he hasn't mentioned you either. So what do you want with them?" Cara only said.  
"It's very simple. I want to kill her, with her out of the way my path to Thor becomes clear" she said and Cara rolled her eyes. "And with Loks, I am guessing that Odin doesn't know he is out. So I just want to take him back to the cell, put on the collar again and make Odin do my another favour"

Jane could feel the change in the air when Amora mentioned the collar. She was not sure what they talked about, but she could guess it wasn't something good.  
"First of all, Thor will not love you after you kill the one he loves, that is not how love works your ignorant little girl" she said in a very low and cold voice. "Second of all, I will not let you touch Loki ever again!"  
Amora looked at her before she started laughing.  
"You cannot stop me, you silly little human" Amora said and Jane saw how the magic started to flow in her hands.  
"Arrogance will bring you down" Cara said and when Amora's magic left her hands Cara raised a barrier in black.

* * *

Jane took cover on the floor, unsure what to do, and she saw Loki already sitting on the floor. She saw the fear in his eyes and how he tried not to panic.  
"Loki it will be alright. Cara will not let anything happen to you" Jane said, actually surprising herself for being nice to him. But she understood how he felt. Loki actually met her eyes and then looked at Cara and that actually made him look even more scared. But Jane saw another fear in his eyes, not a fear for himself, but for her.  
"She can handle herself. Don't worry, she will not leave you" Jane said and tried to make Loki calm down. Trying to make him feel better actually made her forget her own fear. She saw how Loki started to create his own magic in his hands.  
"Loki don't. If you get hurt Cara will not forgive herself. She does this for you!" Jane said and pulled him down when another beam of magic hit the barrier. Loki more or less jumped away from her when she touched him.  
"Sorry" Jane only said. "But try to stay low. I know it's hard, but please stay out of it, for Cara's sake"  
Loki looked at Cara but then slowly nodded, and Jane hopped that he would mean it. Not wanting to be forced to try to stop him, knowing that she would only lose that battle. And she wasn't sure what Cara would do then, she did not want to see Cara angry.

* * *

Cara noticed that Amora was really strong, her magic was dark magic and she draw it from hate, that was always dangerous magic. And she knew that she had to do the same. It wasn't a problem for her, the hate was never far away for her, but she never liked who she was when she used dark magic. She became very cold, far more powerful then she wished to be, and she killed without a problem. Everything her father had wished for her to be, had trained her to be. She let the hate flow in her and the magic in her hand become black, her eyes become red and she didn't think, she just let the hate take over.

Amora seemed a bit surprised about this, not prepared to meet someone that could match her, thinking it would be an easy win. Cara felt that Amora concurred even more hate to try to beat her and then she smiled. Using up too much dark magic, a longer time would drain your energy. Dark magic used more energy than normal magic. That was why it took longer time to master and to use. Amora knew what she was doing, but Cara could tell that she was to eager, she acted more up on an impulse than strategy and to save energy. Cara tried to use as little of her energy as possible. Knowing that if she did she would lose, especially since she had the barrier to think of too. But she knew that if she tried to avoid Amora as as possible and let her use all her energy she could win. She just had to fool Amora that she was trying to beat her so she didn't see through her and stop.

"Why are you even trying, you will lose anyway" Amora suddenly said and Cara laughed.  
"I will never lose. And I am defending my friends" she said and sent a black beam in her direction.  
"Why? Why would you do that. So Jane could be with Thor and Loks…oh I see, he is with you" Amora said and laughed. "That's why you got so mad when I mentioned the collar. Never thought Loki would fall that low, dating a human! But you know sweetie I had him first! He was my friend and teacher before you even were born! He taught me so much, he showed me how to bring people to their feet, how to enslave people, things you can't even imagine"  
"I am sure he did" Cara only said, not getting mad over it. It had been who Loki was, still may be, not going to say anything about it.  
"But look how the mighty has fallen. After he got back from earth, after he got captured and putted in that cell. It was actually kind of fun to see him. You should have seen his look when he saw me with the collar. I think he never thought I would betray him, but I would do anything to get to Thor. Betraying him was nothing, it was actually easy. I had no use for him, and he could give me a laugh once in a while" Amora said and tried to hit Cara with her magic.  
"Such a nice friend you are" Cara only said and smiled when Amora's magic seemed to be weaker.  
"He would have done the same! Wake up honey he is the god of lies, he isn't loyal. He tried to take out his brother and father. He wouldn't dare to think twice to sell you out if he found something better. So don't think you are something special" Amora said.  
"You were the one to sell him out, there is no way to tell what he would have done" Cara said and Amora screamed, getting frustrated over not getting under her skin.  
"What is wrong with you?" Amora asked and threw a beam at her direction but it died half way to her. "What is happening?"  
"I am sure Loki as every good teacher should, taught you about energy draining, and that dark magic drains more energy than other magic. When you use it you need to be careful what you do, and plan your moves. You have just been throwing your magic around" Cara said and walked towards her.  
"Get away" Amora said and threw some more magic at her and Cara just fend it off.  
"No I will not get away, it's now my turn to play" Cara walked closer to her and dropped the black magic, letting her eyes turn blue again and the colour of magic turn green. Amora tried to walk away but soon found herself against the wall.

Cara smiled a cold smile when she stopped in front of Amora and snapped her fingers.  
"I am sure you remember this?" she said and showed her a collar, just like the one Loki had have.  
"No" Amora screamed and tried to shove her out of the way. Cara just rolled her eyes before she used her magic to keep her still.  
"I think a taste of your own medicine will suit you just fine. At least until I know what to do with you" Cara said and locked the collar around Amora's neck, before she let go of her. Amora felt down to the floor, actually crying, but Cara did not care about that. Instead she turned around to face the others.

"Are you alright?" she asked and let down the barrier.  
"I am alright. A bit scared, but alright. Thank you." Jane admitted and stood up. Cara nodded and turned to Loki who still sat on the floor.  
"Loki?" Cara asked in a calm voice and she saw that he had been crying. "It's over now, you are safe"  
"I am sorry Cara, so sorry" he whispered and Cara just smiled at him.  
"No need to be sorry. Not for letting me deal with her, I told you I will protect you, and I know that you would do the same for me. And you do not need to feel sorry for letting her put the collar on you. I know why you did it, and I know how it feels" Cara said in a comforting voice. "You do not never have to feel sorry for anything in front of me Loki"  
Cara almost felt backwords when Loki suddenly hugged her and she smiled, knowing that he was still scared. Scared of Amora who sat and cried and shouted angry words at them, scared that she could have gotten hurt.

Jane looked at them for a short moment before she looked away, feeling like she was intruding on a private moment. But it was fascinated to look at them, to see how they acted. Jane wasn't sure why that was, but it was. Maybe because Loki seemed to be so different from what she thought, of course he had been through a trauma, but he was still different. And to see how he trusted Cara that much and actually cared about her was so sweet in a way she never thought existed. It was like he cared about her over everything and would do anything for her. And Cara seemed to feel the same way. She dealt with how Loki acted without judging or even thinking twice about it. She didn't mind that he acted like he did. Jane wished she could do the same if she ever was in the situation, but she wasn't sure she could. She wasn't sure she could ever see Thor like that without breaking.

Then Jane remembered Thor, what had happened to him? If Enchantress was here, was the others even alive? She was just to turn around to ask Cara if she could find out when she heard the others land and enter the building.  
"Jane?" Thor called out, she could hear how worried he was.  
"I am here" she called back, Thor and the rest entered the kitchen, which was more or less destroyed after Enchantress and Cara's fight.  
"You are unharmed" Thor said and pulled her into a hug.  
"I am alright. Cara saved us" Jane said and Thor looked down at the women holding his brother. Thor wasn't sure why, but he understood that something had scared Loki.  
"She did?" Thor said and looked at Jane and then over to Amora who now only was sobbing in almost silence. "How on earth did she capture her?"  
"She used magic" Jane only said.  
"Just like that? Maybe we should bring her to the battlefield" Tony asked.  
"I can hear you! And I am not interesting on standing on a battlefield. I have stood on to many in my days." Cara said and laughed before she looked at Loki. "Feeling a bit better?"  
Loki didn't answer her.  
"Would you feel better after a cookie?" she asked and smiled and Loki just gave her a look before he actually rolled her eyes at her. Cara smiled even wider, seeing a bit of the old Loki in him. "Don't give me that look. I made the cookies for you"  
Loki ones again gave her a look as he stood up and offered her his hand and she took it.  
"Alright I was the one that wanted cookies, but you was the one that decided which one" Cara informed him as she went to take out the cookies from the oven just as Loki shrugged his shoulders.  
"Um Cara? Can we get the story of how you did capture Enchantress?" Tony said.  
"Oh yeah right. If someone take her down to an interrogation room, don't worry she can't use magic as long as she has the collar on, I am not done with her, but I would prefer not to have her here." She started.  
"We can take her" Steve said and pointed at Clint who nodded.  
"Fine, as you do I will bring the cookies and some milk to the table" she said and smiled at them as they left the room. Cara turned around to Loki and gave him a cookie and he took it.  
"Do you wish to stay or return to your room?" she asked, knowing that he still wasn't comfortable around too much people, especially not after somethings happens. She gave him time to think about it as she sat the table and when Loki sat down next to her she smiled. He still sat near the exit and a bit far from the others, but she didn't pressure him.

* * *

A while later Steve and Clint returned and they all sat down at the table.  
"Are you sure you don't want to join us? I mean you did capture someone we had trouble with" Tony said.  
"What did happen really? How did she even get her?" Jane asked.  
"She escaped. She had Skurge and Lorelei with her. And the others took hostage and when they did Enchantress fled" Steve admitted.  
"I am glad Cara was here to help you" Thor said and Cara smiled.  
"Glad that I could help. And no Tony I will not help you. It's not my battle" she said.  
"But with your magic we would easily win" Tony told her.  
"You can't be sure of that. And the magic I used now to capture Aroma used up a lot of energy, and if I use it all I will be of no help, I would be a burden to you" she informed him.  
"But even if you use all your energy, you could do so much good" Steve said and she nodded.  
"Or so much bad. The magic I used before you guys got her was dark magic, and if someone got in the way they may die." She told them "And also if I end up all my energy I will be an easy target, and I have no intention to die"  
"But it's for a good cause" Steve said and Loki gave him an deadly glance.  
"I beg both of you to stop before Loki kills you" Bruce said.  
"But…" Tony said but stopped when Natasha hit him.  
"Tell us how you captured her" Bruce said ignoring Tony complaining about the pain.  
"We had just finished making the cookies and I was about to put them into the oven when…" Cara started to tell the story of what had happened.


	16. Broken doors

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there my wonderful readers. I am ones again very glad that you are reading my story :)
> 
> So here is the newest chapter, and I am very happy with this. I had fun writing it, and things did go as I wanted. So now things will move a bit forward, not to fast but yeah you will see. Hopefully I can write more tomorrow, if not I will write as soon as I can.
> 
> Anyway once again I am sorry if Amora is way, way out of character, and if you like her and I do her so wrong.
> 
> And that was it, I think, if I have forgotten about it, it can't be that important. So enjoy the reading :)

Cara woke up when she heard knocking on her bedroom door. She was just about to get out of bed to see who it was when she heard a loud bang and the door broke. The door flew through the room and landed on the other side. At ones she let her magic flow in her hands, prepared for the worst when Thor suddenly sprung towards her and lifted her up in a hug. He started to spin her around and he smiled the biggest smile she had seen him ever smile.

"I am getting married" he shouted and let go of her. Cara a bit dizzy tried to grasp what she just heard.  
"I am sorry" Jane suddenly said when she walked into the room. Cara looked at them both before she smiled.  
"Congratulations" she said and gave Jane a hug, and Thor one when he looked disappointed that he didn't get one, even if she told him that he technically already had gotten one.  
"Thor proposed yesterday. And he is very excited" Jane told her.  
"I can tell" Cara said with a laugh and looked at the destroyed door.  
"Again, sorry for that. You think he would have more patience, especially since he walked in on Tony and Pepper having sex. But he didn't seem to bother that much. Can't say that about the other two. But after Tony stopped yelling at him and Pepper getting dressed, Thor could tell them the glad news. After that he destroyed Steve's door only to notice that he wasn't there. Then he broke Bruce door, it's a miracle that he didn't Hulk out." Jane said with a laugh.  
"But it's a day to celebrate, I want my friend to cheerer my happiness" Thor said.  
"And I am sure they do" Jane said and smiled at him. "Maybe just not that you broke their doors"

"And now I need to tell Loki" Thor said with a big smile and Cara who was on her way to get changed stopped.  
"Thor…" she started but the god didn't listen to her.  
"I want him to be my best man. He is going to have something to look forward to" Thor started and smiled at Jane.  
"Thor!" Cara said again when Thor walked towards the door, still talking about the wedding.  
"I am so excited. I need to tell him now" Thor almost run out of the room and Cara snapped her fingers. When Thor tried to walk out of the room he walked into the barrier Cara had created.  
"Ouch" he said in surprise and looked at her. "Friend Cara, what is the meaning of this?"  
"Well you didn't listen when I tried to talk to you" she said and Thor looked dumb fooled, he hadn't heard her.  
"I didn't?" he asked and Cara just rolled her eyes.  
"You did not. What I was trying to tell you is that you cannot do the same to Loki as you did to the others" She told him.  
"What do you mean?" Thor said, not understanding. Couldn't he tell his brother he was going to get married?  
"I mean you cannot break his door, walk in, grab him and hug him! You are going to scare him" she said and Thor suddenly understood what she meant. He had thought of doing that, just like when they were kids. He hadn't thought that it would scare Loki.  
"Thank the gods that you stopped me" Thor said and Cara smiled.  
"Someone had to. So now if you give me a few minutes I will get dressed and we can walk to Loki together, and tell him in a very calm way" she said and walked to her closet.

* * *

Thor walked next to Cara and he almost jumped up and down, Jane smiled at him, thinking that he was adorable for behaving like he did. Thor couldn't help it, he had loved Jane for years now, and after Cara caught Enchantress he felt that he dared to ask Jane, knowing that she wasn't in the same amount of danger anymore. But he hadn't never been so nervous as he was when he asked her. Despite having kids, and Jane not being his first partner, he had never married anyone, and he didn't know if Jane felt the same for him as he felt for her. So when she had said yes he had been so happy that he hadn't stopped smiling. And now he was about to tell his brother the good news, hoping that he would be happy for him.

Cara stopped in front of Loki's door and knocked very soft.  
"Loki it's me Cara, I have Thor and Jane with me, can we come in?" she asked and waited for Loki to make his move. Thor was still jumping up and down, more or less and Cara gave him a look that told him to calm down and the god of thunder did his best. After a few minutes Loki opened the door.  
"Thank you" Cara said and they all walked in. Loki stepped away from them a bit, not wanting them to close. "Thor has something to tell you"  
Loki looked at her with a scared look.  
"It's not something bad. I wouldn't let him in here if it was" she said and Loki slowly nodded and then looked puzzled at his brother.  
Thor smiled at his brother and then at Cara who nodded, telling Thor that it was okay to tell him.

"Loki me and Jane are getting married!" Thor almost shouted. Loki just looked at Thor then at Jane and then back to Thor. Cara could tell that he wondered why they told him that. "And I would love if you wanted to be my best man"  
Loki just stared at Thor with horror. Cara could see that he wondered what kind of trap it was. Why would Thor want him to be his best man?  
"What do you say Loki? Do you want to be my best man?" Thor asked, waiting for an answer.  
"I..." Loki started, trying to answer something, but he was too scared to say anything and Cara could only guess the scenarios his mind played with him.  
"I think he needs some time to think about it Thor" Cara said and Thor looked at her a bit disappointed. He wanted Loki to be his best man, so he could show him how much he meant for him, that Loki was still his brother, a part of his family. But instead Loki had been scared, and wasn't sure about it at all. Thor couldn't understand why.  
"Come Thor, we still need to tell Steve, Natasha and Clint" Jane said and Thor looked at her and smiled.  
"You are right" Thor said and then looked at Loki. "Take as much time as you want"  
Then the couple left the room.

"Do you want me to leave too?" Cara asked Loki who looked at her and then shook his head. Cara sat down in a chair observing Loki as he slowly sat down in his own chair.  
"Why?" Loki slowly asked and Cara looked at him.  
"I can't be sure, but my guess would be that he want his brother there. He still loves you, no matter what happened. And he doesn't want anything from you, except to see you happy. And I think he thought that you would be if you were a part of the wedding" Cara said and she saw how Loki wasn't sure about it. And she understood that he had a hard time believing that someone would want him there.  
"I don't deserve it" Loki said in a low voice.  
"Thor think you do" Cara said in a friendly voice. "And you have done nothing wrong. Or okay, taking over a planet may not be a good thing, but I can't blame you for that. Wanting to rule earth, who hasn't dreamt of it"  
Cara laughed to tell him that she was joking and Loki gave her a weak smile and she nodded.  
"It's all up to you, no one is going to force you to be there. But just remember that no one is blaming you for anything. I know that it's hard to believe, it feels like everyone is blaming you for what happened. That everyone is looking at you with judgmental eyes wherever you go. But trust me it's all in your head. None of us is doing that" she explained and Loki looked at her and she could tell that he didn't believe her. "One day you will see it"  
That was at least what she hopped. She knew that the fear for the people doing things to you was easier to get over then stop blaming yourself for what happened. But she wouldn't push Loki about it, that was something he had to figure out for himself.  
"So do you want breakfast?" she asked instead and he nodded and they stood up.

* * *

They sat down at the table after Cara had made them some breakfast, and Cara was proud of Loki for wanting to sit in the kitchen instead on his room. It may be because they were alone, but it was at least a step in right direction.  
"I must say I am surprised, I never thought Thor would get married. Guess meeting the right person does wonder" Cara said and Loki gave her a look. "But I do not envy Jane, she will have a lot to deal with"  
At that Loki nodded in agreement and Cara laughed.  
"But love is blind so she may not see the same things we see" Cara sipped on her tea when Loki gave her a wondering look and she tilted her head to the right, not sure what he meant this time.

"Have you ever thought of it?" he asked in a low voice, almost ashamed to ask.  
"Getting married? Well I have been married, but it was years ago" she said and Loki looked surprise. "I travel through a lot of different worlds, and I meet a lot of different people. Some of them I become friends with, some of them becomes something more. A few of them have proposed over the years. So I have been married"  
Loki just looked at her, and she couldn't know if he was hurt about those words or not. She didn't mean to hurt him, but she wouldn't lie to him either.  
"Anyway, it was like I said years ago. They are all dead now" she said in a sad voice. She did miss them. But death was a part of her life and she tried to keep going, for their sake, knowing that they didn't want her to be sad forever.  
"Why?" Loki slowly asked and she looked at him.  
"Different reasons. The first one I technically didn't marry, my father killed him before we could, since he wanted me to marry another man. The second and third one died of old age. Since my magic allows me to change my age, and let me age very slowly, people die before I do. The fourth one got murdered. He was fighting a war he couldn't win, and in the end it got the best of him and he got killed." She said and thought of them all. All of them was different men, very different men. But like she said to people, she saw the person behind the action and masks. "Since then I haven't gotten married. It always ends bad. And I don't think you have to marry someone to show them that you love them and want to be with them forever"  
"I am sorry" he said and Cara smiled at him, glad over how sincere he was.  
"Nothing to be sorry about. You had nothing to do with it" She told him, and it was true. The people she had lost, had nothing to do with Loki. Loki didn't say anything about it and she continued to sip her tea.

* * *

They had continued to eat during silence when the others walked into the kitchen and she could tell how Loki become uncomfortable at ones.  
"Good morning" Tony said to them and she could tell that he was a bit cranky and she could only guess why.  
"Are you sure it's a good morning?" Cara said with a laugh.  
"Okay, I take it back. Just morning" Tony said and sat down and started to eat of the breakfast. Cara watched Loki, who still sat down at the table. "You know your brother is impossible to handle. Can't see how manage to live with him for so many years. He broke my door!"

Loki looked at Tony, not sure what to answer when he talked directly to him. Cara smiled at Loki when he looked at her, telling him that it was okay to answer if he wanted to, but he didn't have to. Loki seemed to think about it.  
"He does that when he gets happy" Loki finally said to Tony who almost choke on his drink, and spitted it out all over Clint who sat opposite from him.  
"Hey" Clint said very displeased but Tony just stared at Loki.  
"You answered? Wow…It's fantastic" Tony said in a very high voice which made Loki very unsure and Cara gave Tony a look. "Yeah sorry, take it cool. But good for you Reindeer games"  
Cara raised an eyebrow at Tony.  
"Reindeer games?" she asked.  
"Oh yeah right, forgot that you wasn't here when Loki was here the last time. Thought it was a fitting nickname for him, since he has the helmet and all" Tony said and Loki tried to grasp the situation, not understanding why they were so happy. Cara gave him a friendly smile and he nodded but he didn't say anymore.  
"I like his helmet. It fit's him very well" Cara said and she was honest, she had liked Loki's helmet since the first time she saw it.  
"He looks like a cow" Thor said and laughed.  
"And you have feathers on yours, very graceful, chicken" Cara said and Thor laughed.  
"You are so much like my brother sometimes" Thor said and smiled at Loki and then her.  
"Well everyone can't be like you, that would be a disaster" Cara answered with a smile and Thor laughed again. Cara looked at Loki who still was very unsure about the situation but he had relaxed a bit, and she smiled, glad that he was starting to become a bit more comfortable around the Avengers.

* * *

After the breakfast Loki went to his room and Cara thought she would give him some space, sometimes he needed to be alone. She didn't want him to feel like she was guarding him, that he could have time for himself, but she also let him know that if he wanted something he could just call for her.

She decided to go and talk with Amora, hoping that she would get some answers out of her. She was just on her way down the elevator when Steve stepped inside.  
"Can I join you?" he asked.  
"Well you are already in the elevator" she said and smiled and Steve got a bit red. "But don't worry about it. So what do you want to join me in?"  
"You are going to talk to Enchantress, are you not?" he asked and she nodded.  
"I am. I want to see if I can get some more information" she informed him.  
"Do you think you can?" Steve asked.  
"I am not sure. I could get some information out of Fandral because I have met him before, I know how he thinks. But when it comes to Enchantress I don't have much to go on. She gave me some information during the battle, most likely because she didn't think about it. If she has calmed down now and are thinking, it can be difficult" Cara wasn't sure how Amora worked, but if Loki had thought her, she knew that she would have a hard time to get her talk. But it all depends on how smart she is, and how much of the thing Loki thought her, she used.  
"Let's hope for the best" Steve said and she nodded as they walked out of the elevator.

* * *

Amora was furious at her, she could tell when she entered the room. She sat at the table and they could almost see the thunderclouds around her head.  
"I demand you to take the collar off me" she said when they both sat down.  
"Demanding things of me works very rarely, if ever" Cara said calmly.  
"You have no right to do this to me" Amora told her.  
"You had no right to do it to Loki either" Cara informed her.  
"Odin gave me the right!"  
"Fine I give you that one. Odin gave you the right, but even if he did you shouldn't have, you don't do that to your friends. So guess since we aren't friends it gives me the right to put it on you" Cara smiled.  
"You can't be mad at me for following Odin's orders" Amora said.  
"I can, and I am. No one forced you to follow his orders. You did it because of personal reasons. You said Odin did you a favour the last time, if he hadn't I am sure you hadn't obeyed him." Cara said.  
"Who says no to a favour from the king of gods?" Amora laughed.  
"Everything has its price, and yours was to betray a friend" Steve said.  
"Why do you even care? You guys hates Loki, you guys was the reason he got captured" Amora looked at Steve.  
"We may have been the reason for his captured, but we did not know what they were going to do with him" Steve said.  
"So now you feel bad. Must be hard being the good guys and know how much bad you have done" Amora said but Steve didn't answer and Cara understood how he felt.  
"Are you trying to push your own guilt away Enchantress?" Steve asked and Amora gave him an hateful glance.  
"I think you are on to something Steve" Cara said and laughed.  
"Shut up, you two knows nothing" Amora said.  
"You are right about that. We know nothing about this. That's why we are trying to get all the information. We are building a case to give Loki some justice" Cara told her and Amora laughed.

"Good luck with that. No matter how good your case is, Odin isn't going to do anything about it" she said.  
"Who said Odin will be the one doing anything about it? Odin rules Asgard know, but who know for how long?" Cara said with a smile.  
"You are crazy? Are you going to go up against Odin" Amora laughed again.  
"Well I am apparently crazy, that you should have understood yesterday, but I am not the one that will go up against Odin" Cara said and Amora looked puzzled at her.  
"Then who?" she said with a curious voice.  
"That will be the royal family and the people of Asgard" she said and Amora looked really surprised.  
"How did you manage to do that?"  
"I didn't do anything. Odin is digging his own grave, with a little help from us. And that's why you are here. You are going to help us dig" Cara said.  
"Never" Amora looked at her.  
"People are always so stubborn" she said to Steve who nodded. "We have what you did say yesterday already, and we can use that against you and Odin, so in worst case we don't need anything else. But knowing that you aren't the one that have done the worst things, Thor and Frigga may go easy on you if you tell us something."

"Thor? Thor will know what I did? Odin promised he wouldn't know!" Amora said and Cara smiled.  
"He already knows, and he isn't happy. You hurt his little brother, did you think he would be happy? But like I said he may be happier if he knows that you didn't do anything worst then put on the collar on Loki. I mean he nearly killed Fandral for touching him, so you may be in the clear and he may even be happy that you didn't hurt Loki to bad." Cara said and Amora thought about it.  
"Do you promise to tell Thor what I said?" she asked and Cara nodded.  
"I promise I didn't do anything else then put on the collar. Odin asked me to do it, since he knew that it would hurt Loki even more if a friend of his did it. If Odin had done it himself Loki wouldn't have been as destroyed as he was now" Amora said.  
"And what more did you do?" Cara asked.  
"Nothing"  
Cara gave her a look, letting the other woman know that she didn't believe her, not at all.  
"I promise, I didn't do anything else. After that I wanted to find Thor, trying to get him to love me" Amora said.  
"For having the god of lies as your teacher, you are a bad liar" Cara said and Amora looked at her.  
"Fine, I visited Loki from time to time. I wanted to see that he was still there, knowing that he couldn't come after me for what I did" She said.  
"That's half of it" Cara only said.  
"Orr, how do you know?" Amora said before she could stop herself.  
"Well I could say that dating Loki taught me a lot about lies, but that would be a lie. It thought be a bit, but a lot of practise, knowing a lot of polices and great teachers who taught me. Loki only helped me polish my skills." Cara said and smiled. "So what more did you do?"  
"I…I…I practised some magic on him. Odin said it was okay!" Amora informed her. "I wanted to try some new things, and since Loki couldn't defend himself it was perfect. I could practise on him how much I wanted and it helped, I got better. Odin also said that they would heal his wounds after I left"  
"And you believed that?" Steve asked in a very displeased voice.  
"Not sure if I did or not." Amora only said.  
"I would rather say that you didn't care if it was true or not" Cara just said and stood up, preparing herself to leave.  
"Promise you tell Thor that I didn't do anything awful! Promise me, I want him to know that I was a good girl" Amora said and Cara smiled.  
"Did I promise that?" Cara said and looked at Steve who didn't know what to say. "Can't remember I promised anything. But I can promise you something now, I will tell Thor exactly the awful things you did to Loki. He will know it all"  
With those words Cara and Steve left the room.

* * *

"You are taking this very well" Steve said as the stood in the elevator.  
"Not really. But if I get to upset and down I can't help Loki, so I try not to think about it" Cara admitted.  
"I am not sure if I could ever do what you are doing" Steve told her.  
"You never know until you are standing there. But I hope that you never have too. Watching someone you care about going through something like this is really hard, you are just hoping for the best"  
"Loki seem to be doing better at least" Steve said.  
"It goes up and down. And I know that just the smallest thing can make it worst. Like the meeting with Amora yesterday really scared him. So he may seem fine and I hope he gets better, but we aren't out of the woods yet, far from it" Cara said and Steve just nodded as they stepped out of the elevator. As they did Tony almost ran into them.  
"There you are! I have been looking for you" He said.  
"And you didn't think of asking Jarvis where I was?" Cara said with a smile.  
"He did not, Lady Cara" Jarvis said and Tony glared at the celling.  
"Then you could have said something" Tony told Jarvis.  
"You didn't ask sir, therefore I didn't say anything, as you have asked me many times not to" Jarvis said.  
"This time you could have broken that rule and just told me" Tony said.  
"I will remember that until the next time" Jarvis said and Tony was about to answer.  
"Tony?" Cara said and he looked at her. "Why have you been looking for me?"  
"Right, Jarvis almost made me forgot. We have found them" Tony said happily.  
"Found who?" Steve asked.  
"Loki's kids, the twins" Tony said and Cara just looked at him, unsure what to say at first.  
"Are they alive?" she asked and Tony didn't smile anymore.  
"It's better for you to see this yourself" he said and they all stepped inside the elevator again to go to Tony's lab.


	17. At the circus

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And I am finally done with the chapter. Gosh it felt like it took forever. And it kind of did, my thoughts was all over the place so I did a lot of things in between. But here it is.
> 
> I must say that I am very, very happy with this chapter. I love it so much, so I hope you guys do too!
> 
> And normally I like Sigyn, she is the perfect wife for Loki, everything she does for him is amazing. She stays at his side when Odin chain him, catching the venom from a snake. She is so loyal and amazing. But well here she isn't. So sorry if you also like her and I also make her a bad guy. Haha feels like I make everyone a bad guy. And I will see what I do with her.
> 
> Then as always I will thank you for reading.
> 
> And that's all I have to say. So enjoy the chapter :)

The all walked into the lab and Cara was really nervous about what Tony was to show her. She didn't know what he had found and she could imagine to many possibilities, and especially over things that could have gone wrong. They could be badly hurt, they could be starving somewhere, one of them could be dead and the other could be sitting with his twin's dead body. They could be locked up somewhere, they could be criminals wanted for all sort of crimes. Her mind come up with too many stories and she tried to calm herself. She needed to stay calm, guessing what could have happened to the twins wouldn't help anyone.

"Please tell me they are alive Tony" Cara said when they stopped and Tony looked at her.  
"They seem to be alive" he started and showed her a hologram. She looked at it, it was a poster with the twins. "It's a circus poster…"  
"A circus poster?" she interrupted him. She was very surprised, why were they on a circus poster.  
"Yes, a circus poster." Tony said and waited to see if she interrupted him again, but Cara nodded, showing him that he could continue. "It's a European circus with only children. I checked it up and it looks like it only have people who have different skills, a lot of the people there seem to be mutants"  
"What?" she asked still not grasping the situation.  
"I can't tell you that much. All I know that it only tours in Europe, the circus people do all kind of things. And well it looks like Loki's kids are some of the more popular ones. One of them can apparently turn into different things, the most usual seems to be a wolf, the other one has some sort of magic. I don't know. The website is very fussy and don't reveal too much. To be honest it seems very shady, especially since I had to access the dark web to find it. But I guessing that mutants aren't too popular over there either, so they rather hid what they do." Tony said and Cara nodded.  
"I don't understand why they are at a circus. Is their mother there too?" Cara asked.  
"I don't know how she looks, but I don't see a woman looking like the twins at the poster. But she may be there, just not on stage" Tony said.  
"Okay, since I can't get the information on how they ended up there right now I will try not to think about it. But Tony do they seem to be okay?" Cara asked him and Tony didn't answer for a while.

"I will not lie to you." He started "They don't seem to be to fine, but it's hard to tell. I could only find picture, very few pictures from the circus. And they look fine if you look at the pictures very fast, but their eyes seem to tell a different story. This isn't any evidence but, yeah something doesn't feel right."  
"I need to tell Loki about this" she slowly said, knowing that Loki would want to know that they had found his youngest children. "Tony can we pick them up? Or at least visit them to see if they are alright?"  
"Sure no problem" Tony said and she smiled. "We can take the plane when you are ready"  
"Thank you" Cara said and hugged him and Tony hugged her a bit confused back.  
"No need to thank me. It's children so of course we are going to see if they are alright. I also want to make sure the other kids are alright" Tony said and she smiled.  
"You are a good man Tony" Cara said.  
"I know" Tony only answered and Cara rolled her eyes.  
"I will go and tell Loki" she only said.  
"Steve can you talk to the others, it may just be a feeling, but something does not feel right about this circus, and I would like to be prepared for the worst" Tony said.  
"Sure" Steve said and walked to the elevator with Cara.

* * *

"Loki" Cara said and knocked on his door and waited. When the door opened she stepped inside. "I hope I do not disturb you, but I have some information to give you"  
Loki looked at her and she indicated that they should sit down and they did.  
"A few days back Frigga was hear and told us that Narfi and Váli was here on earth" she started and Loki gave her a look wondering why she hadn't said anything. "I wanted to know if they were alive or not first. Not wanting to give you hope. I am sorry"  
Loki slowly nodded, reluctantly, but he did understood her motives.  
"Tony just founded them, alive" she added and Loki couldn't stop himself from smiling.  
"Where are they?" he asked.  
"Here is the bad news, or the less good news. I am not sure what news it is. Anyway they are in Europe, at a circus" she started and Loki gave her the same look she had given Tony. "I know, but I don't know why they are there, or if Sigyn are there. And Tony couldn't say if they were alright or not. The few pictures he saw told him something was wrong, but he do not know what"  
Loki gave her a worried look and she recognized the horror over that something had happened to your children.

"We are going to visit them, to at least see if they are alright, and what happened." She started and Loki stood up and she laughed and he looked at her. "I was guessing that you were going to come with us. But Loki I must warn you that if you leave the tower I can't guarantee that people from Asgard can't find you"  
She didn't want to scare him but she wanted to be honest with him, so he knew that it could happen. She saw the horror in his eyes at those words, but then he clenched his fists and took a deep breath.  
"It's my children I have too" he said in a low voice and Cara smiled.  
"I know that you have too. And I will be there as long as you want me to. I just wanted you to know what can happen, and that you could stay here if you wanted." She said in a friendly voice, not blaming him for if he did.  
"Thank you but…" he started and Cara just nodded, knowing how he felt. He would do anything he could for his children. "But would you please stay at my side?"  
Cara heard that he was scared and a shamed for asking it.  
"As if you even needed to ask. I will always be by your side whenever you want me to" she said with a smile and walked up next to him.  
"Let's go" she said and Loki nodded and they left the room.

* * *

Cara could tell how nervous and worried Loki was as they got closer and closer to Europe but she didn't say anything about it, she only offered her hand and Loki took it. Cara stroke the back of his hand with her thumb, trying to calm him down. It seemed to calm him a bit, but not fully, but Cara had not expected that. She guessed Loki wouldn't calm down until they were back at the tower, and hopefully with the twins.

The others worked the plane and tried not to think about what they could find when they got there, or what Loki would do if things got bad. They wasn't sure how much he could do as it was now, but they had all seen how much he cared about Cara, and they know that his kids would be no different.  
"I hope that we aren't doing a mistake" Clint whispered to Natasha as she piloted the plane with him.  
"Cara said she would control him if he did something, I hope she can do that" Natasha answered him.  
"As do I. I do not want to know what may happen is she can't" Clint said and Natasha didn't answer, thinking of what Loki had done the last time he was on earth, and then he hadn't given his all.  
"We are going down for landing in 10" Natasha said to the others.  
"Roger" Steve said and they all went to their seats.  
"It's going to be alright brother" Thor said to Loki who looked at him but didn't answer. "Don't you worry, they are your children, they have always been strong and you are a great father…"

Thor stopped when Cara kicked his leg, begging him to stop talking. Thor who didn't understand why at first looked at Loki who hung his head, and Thor understood that he thought of the children that was dead. They had actually been the strongest ones, Narfi and Váli were the youngest ones, and not the strongest ones. And the others had died, and Thor remembered that Cara had said that Loki blamed himself for that. Thor wanted to kick himself for being so clumsy for saying that. He thought he would say he was sorry, but guessing that he would only mess that up to, and he reminded silent as they landed in England.

* * *

They all stepped out of the plane when they had landed. Cara looked at the familiar views and felt all the memory wash over her, they were near the place where she had grown up. She tried not to think about it at all.  
"So now we need to find a town called Ellington or rather Low Ellington" Tony said and looked at the poster.  
"It's this way. I takes around 15 minutes to walk there" Cara said and pointed towards north.  
"How do you know? Everything looks the same out here" Clint said and pointed at the English landscape.  
"I grew up not far from here. I have been here before" she only said and started walking north.  
"So you grew up out here? It must have sucked. So boring, nothing to do" Tony said, only been living in bigger cities he would have been crazy living like this.  
"It did suck, as you so fine phrased it, but for different reasons then you think. Living out in the country side was lovely" she told him.  
"So want to go and visit someone when we are here? Any old farmer friends?" Tony joked.  
"There is no one to visit. My family is dead, and my friends, well some of them are dead, the others I am not friends with anymore" she said and fought back the memories of her family, and the war she had fought during her school time.  
"I am sorry, I didn't know" Tony said.  
"I know. And well there is nothing to be sorry for. And you family normally dies when you kill them or get them killed, and people dies at war" she only said.  
"You killed your own family?" Steve asked.  
"And what war? There has been no war in England for years" Tony said.  
"Well I got my mother killed when I was born. I got my godfather killed for helping me runaway, just as my fiancé" She said "My daughter got killed by my father and Loki finally killed my father"  
Cara gave Loki a grateful smile and he only nodded.  
"And there was a war here, you guys just don't know about it since it was a war between magicians, and our world is hidden for you. Just like Thor's and Loki's was before" She told them.  
"Sounds like your dad had it coming" Clint said and she nodded.  
"He had. He just didn't think the threat come from Loki" she told them.  
"And there is a whole world that are hidden from us?" Tony asked and she smiled.  
"There is. But can we please talk about something else, since this is things I prefer not to think off. I left that life behind me years ago" Cara said and the others understood and agreed. Loki gave her a worried look but she just smiled. The memories were painful but she pushed them aside, not wanting to worry Loki, he had other things to think about.

* * *

The soon reached Ellington, it was a small village, where most people worked at their farms, and they kept to their own business.  
"Here we are" Cara said.  
"And there are the tent" Thor said and pointed and they all looked at the red and black tent.  
"Let's see if we can get tickets" Tony said.  
"That shouldn't be a problem, can't be many people who want to watch it here, it's like teen houses" Clint said.  
"I guess people from all over England gets here. It's not exactly legal what they do, or I assume. There would be no point of using the dark web if it was. So it may be hard to get in" Tony said and Cara stopped them.  
"Before we go anywhere you need to look different. You are to famous to just blend in" she said and they all looked at each other.  
"And how would we do that? It's not like we have a closet of masquerade cloths with us" Clint said.  
"You may not have that, but you have me. And a little bit of magic will do wonders" she said and looked at them before she started.

* * *

When she was done she had hidden their weapon. And in front of her stood a blonde Natasha, red haired Clint, taller and older looking Bruce with grey hair, a shorter Steve and Thor, both with black hair, and a younger Tony with brown afro. Cara smiled at all of them as they looked at each other and then at themselves and tried not to laugh.  
"You are professionals, then act like it, before you blow your cover" she told them "We are here for a reason!"  
Cara then turned around to Loki to see if he needed change, since she wasn't sure how much of his magic he could use. But instead of looking at Loki she looked at a woman. She could see that it was Loki, mostly because of the eyes, but besides that it was hard to tell.  
"Wow you look hot" Tony said and Loki lowered his head at those words.  
"Tony" Steve said and Tony looked at Steve before he looked at Loki.  
"Oh sorry, Loki, I didn't mean it like that" he said, but Loki didn't look up. Cara gave Tony an angry look before she walked closer to Loki.  
"I am here with you, no one is going to touch you!" she said and he slowly nodded. "Want to hold my hand?"  
Loki only nodded again and took it and she smiled.  
"Then let's go"

They managed to get tickets and it seemed like no one payed any attention to them, they were just a part of the crowed. They sat down in the dark tent, lit by torches. They sat down at their seats at the back, wondering what place this really was. The people around them looked like they were dragged out from the darkest corners of the world.  
"It don't feel right" Thor said and Cara gave him a look that told him to be quite. They needed to blend in, and no one else was talking. Cara looked at Loki, or rather the woman that she knew was Loki, who sat very anxious next to her. Cara squeezed his hand and he looked at her, Cara gave him a friendly smile and Loki nodded but then looked back to the centre of the tent.

"Ladies and Gentlemen. I welcome you to my circus" a man walked out from the shadow, wearing a traditional circus managers outfit, but in dark colours instead of the bright happy ones they normally wore. "Tonight we have a magnificent show, so be prepared!"  
The other started to applaud and Cara and the others did the same, even if they felt like this wouldn't be anything they wanted to see.

* * *

The evening seemed very long, and Cara could feel how upset the others got. She tried to hid her feelings, knowing that if she started to feel too much, she wouldn't be able to act when she needed to.  
People around them enjoyed the show, she could tell. How they could she could not understand, but she guessed none of them had children.  
The children had done awful things, that she really hopped they didn't do out of free will, because then she was worried for their mental state. They had been hit with different weapons, just to amuse the audience to see them heal, and what they could heal from. Cara had a feeling that some of the wounds would leave scars, and take a long time to heal. They had walked through fire and melted, only to become humans when the fire was put out. They had been put in positions that shouldn't be possible if you were only human. It was more or less a show of torture.

"Are you enjoying the show?" the managers said when he walked out from the shadows again and the crowed was cheering and he smiled. "I am glad to hear that. But we have saved the best for last."  
You could hear that the audience was whispering.  
"The best and the hunter" the man said and stepped into the shadows as a wolf jumped out, one of the twins.

Cara felt Loki tens up and how he was about to stand up, but she was still holding his hand and he looked at her.  
"Not yet" she whispered to him and he gave her a sad look, but he understood. Cara was glad for that, because she didn't know what would happen if they tried to act now.  
Before their eyes the wolf walked around, looking terrifying, with music and backgrounds creating an illusion, a story without words. The wolf showed its teeth and growled and a woman in the front seat screamed.  
Then the other twin jumped out, with magic glowing from his hands. The wolf looked at the young boy walking towards him. The boy made a spear out of magic and threw it at the wolf. The wolf dodges it and jumped at the boy who lifted one arm to shield himself and the wolf bit him. The boy screamed, the blood started dripping, and he summoned magic again. He created a sword and slashed against the wolf.  
"You do not want to see this" Cara said to Loki who had stared at the scene and she saw how it affected him. "Loki"  
Loki couldn't stop looking and Cara squeezed his hand gently and then pulled him into a hug and covered his ears, she did not want him to see or hear it. Loki leaned against her shoulder, holding her tight, she could tell that he was really scared.

Cara looked away and tried to not hear the screams from the boy, and the growling from the wolf. She could hear the weapon clash with teeth and claws. She heard the music getting loader and darker, the audience cheering and then how everything went quite. She slowly watched and saw how the wolf lay still, bleeding on the floor. The other boy stood over the wolf, bloody with a sword in hand.  
"The hunter was victories this evening" the circus manager said and walked out from the shadows. "But the wolf will be back, and who knows what will happen then?"  
Loki tried to look but she hold him tightly.  
"Loki you do not want to see them like this" she said friendly.  
"Are they alive?" he asked in a low voice.  
"They are alive" she told him and she felt how he started to cry and she gently stroke him over his back.  
"I welcome all of you back, hoping to see you in our next town" the manager said and bowed, the people applaud as the manager left the centre with the bloody boy and the bloody limping wolf. The people started to empty the tent and they all looked at each other, when the tent was almost empty and the guards started to walk towards them, Cara lifted the magic and let them turn into themselves. The avengers looked at each other before they nodded and sprang into action.

* * *

Cara left the guards to the others while she calmed Loki, letting him take his time. She sung the song for him and he finally calmed down.  
"Thank you" he said in a low voice and Cara smiled.  
"Anytime" she said and stood up when he did. Loki turned back to himself and they walked down the stairs and to the back of the tent, where the others had gone.  
Loki stopped for a second and looked at the blood and Cara took his hand.  
"Let's go" she said and made him walk again towards the others.

When they entered the backer tent they saw the manager locked in a cage and the children standing scared in the middle with Thor, Steve and Tony guarding them.  
"You are scaring them" Cara told them and they all looked at her and Loki who walked next to her. Loki looked really nervous and she understood him, he wasn't sure how his children would react when they saw him.  
"But we are the good guys, they don't need to fear us" Tony said.  
"How should they know that?" She asked "So just take a few step back and they will feel a bit safer"  
The guys did as she said and the kids still looked scared, but not as much. Cara looked at all of them, she guessed that they were around 4 to 15 or 16.  
"Who are you?" one of the older girls finally asked.  
"We are the avengers" Steve said and the kids still looked at them.  
"Superheroes" Tony added and the kids didn't say anything.  
"How shall we know that you are what you claim to be?" a boy asked after a moment.  
"You have to trust us kid" Tony said and the kids didn't look convinced at all.  
"I know that they look scary, but they are really nice. A bit dumb, but nice" Cara said.  
"Hey!" Tony protested.  
"And we are just like all of you, different" she told them and made a green flame of magic appear in her hand. The kids now looked at her and Loki who stood next to her. The children stared at the flame, and then at her, but they didn't trust them and she didn't say anything more. She let them think about it, understanding that they didn't trust people.

Suddenly the twins walked out from behind a door, they were still bloody, and seemed to be a bit hurt. They were holding hands when they looked at the other children who gave them hateful glances, and Cara understood that the other kids didn't like them for some reason. Then they looked at the direction the other kids looked and first the stared, before they actually smiled.  
"Father" they both said and started running towards Loki who kneeled in the sand and opened his arms to hug them when they ran towards him. The boys threw themselves at Loki who hugged them tightly and Cara smiled at the scene. It made her happy to see Loki finally holding two of his children in his arms. The boys started crying which made Loki cry to and she stepped back to give them space.

"It's really hard to see that it's the same Loki that tried to take over earth" Tony said as he watched the god hug his kids.  
"He seem so happy to see them, and they him" Steve said and Cara rolled her eyes, normally families are happy to see each other.  
They all turned to Thor when they heard him sob.  
"Are you crying big guy?" Tony asked in a friendly voice.  
"I am glad that they are alive, and I am glad that Loki got to meet them again, he hasn't seen them in years" Thor said and Tony nodded, he understood that Thor was happy for his brother, especially since what happened to his other children.  
"Let's make sure that Odin can't touch them again" Tony said and the others nodded.  
"Yes" Cara said as she watched Loki and his children, before she looked at the other children who did not look happy at all. Cara wondered what they would do with them?

* * *

"Cara?" she turned around to face Loki when he called for her and she smiled and walked over.  
"Do you need something?" she asked when he stood up with the kids in front of him.  
"I want you to meet Narfi" Loki said and pointed at the twin with dark blue eyes, and then at the other boy. "And this is Váli"  
Cara kneeled in front of them, so they could look her in the eyes.  
"Hi nice to meet you, I am Cara" she said in a friendly voice.  
"Hi" Narfi said and Váli nodded, hiding a bit behind his twin.  
"Have you father told you why he is here?" she asked and the shook their heads and Cara laughed. "How can he forget something so important. He is here to take you home"  
The twins looked at Loki who only smiled at them.  
"Would you like that?" Cara asked.  
"Yes" they both said and she nodded. "Then it's decided, you are going to go home with your father"

Cara started to stand up when Narfi grabbed her sweater and pulled in it very gently.  
"Cara?" he said and she stopped and sat down again.  
"Yes?" she asked waiting for him to continue.  
"What will happen to the other children?" he asked and Cara looked at him and then the other children and smiled, Narfi still cared about them, even if they didn't seem to like them.  
"We will make sure they can go home too" she said.  
"They don't have any homes. They are all bought, just like we are" Narfi said and Cara felt her heart stop for a moment, what did he mean? She looked at Loki who looked very upset.  
"Narfi what do you mean with bought? Who sold you?" Cara asked very nicely.  
"Our families. Their families was scared of them or thought of them as monster and didn't want them" Narfi said and pointed at the other kids.  
"And you?" she asked.  
"Mother left us here when she met a new man, the manager told us later that she had sold us" Narfi said in a low voice.  
"Sigyn…" Loki said in a very low cold voice and the twins looked surprised at him, and almost scared and Cara stood up and looked at him.  
"Loki" she said with a warm voice and he looked at her and then at the twins and nodded. He smiled at the boys who smiled back.  
"Why didn't mother want us?"  
"I don't know. But don't worry, your father will never leave you" Cara said and the twins smiled.  
"Really?" Váli asked and Loki kneeled.  
"I will never leave you" he said and hugged them.  
"We told mother that you hadn't left us, and that you would come back. She always said you wouldn't, just like the other kids did. They told us to stop dreaming" Narfi said and Loki just hugged them tightly.

* * *

Cara walked over to the other kids that looked at the twins with angry eyes.  
"Hi" she said friendly but the children didn't say anything. "Do you have homes to return to?"  
The children didn't answer her and she took that as a now.  
"Do you have any place to go?" she asked instead and they still didn't answer. "Do you want to leave this place"  
"Yes, who wouldn't" a girl said and Cara smiled.  
"Cleaver girl" Cara said with a laugh. "Do you want us to find you a home?"  
"No! You will just sell us again!" a boy said in an angry voice.  
"We will never sell you! I can promise you that. I know that my word doesn't mean much, and I will not force any of you to come with us. You are all free to go wherever you want, but if you want we can find a home for you" she said, not sure where but she would find a place.  
"There is a place outside New York, it's a school and a home that are ran by a man called Charles. They are all mutants there, and they teach people to use their gifts" Tony said and walked over to them. "He would welcome you all to his family if you want to go there"  
Cara smiled at Tony for helping her.  
"Could we leave the school if we wanted?" a young girl asked.  
"Whenever you wanted. If you want to go there it's of free will, no one will force you" Tony said and started to tell stories about the school to the kids who listened.

Cara walked back to Loki and the twins.  
"We are offering them a place at a school for people with special gifts" she told them.  
"Are you going to send us there too?" Narfi asked.  
"No you will stay with your father" she said and the twins smiled.  
"Will you be there too?" Narfi asked and Cara looked at him, kind of surprised that he asked.  
"I will be there too" she answered him and Narfi smiled.  
"Good, because I like you. You seem like a very nice person" he said and Cara only nodded, not sure what to answer him, instead she smiled at them before she walked back to Tony to see how it was going. She was still a bit unsure to have children around her, especially if they liked her. The memories of her own daughter and losing her started to take over and she pushed them aside, focusing on the children in front of her.

* * *

Most of the children had chosen to come back with them, wanting to leave the circus and all the memories behind them. Some of the older children had choose to stay in England and to manage on their own.  
The children on the plane asked a lot of questions that the Avengers tried to answer. They wanted to know more about the place they were going, the USA and what kind of power the Avengers had.

Loki sat with the twins at his side in the back smiling, leaving the rest to the others, which the others didn't say anything about. Cara sat opposite towards Loki smiling at him, not saying anything. She could see how happy he was, and she was happy for him, glad that he could see his children alive again. She knew that Hel also was alive, but she lived in the realm of the dead, so she guessed it wasn't the same, and Loki couldn't have her at his side.  
When she looked at Loki she could tell that he was very observing towards the others and she understood him, he wanted to protect the twins, afraid to lose them again. So when Narfi jumped down from the seat, she could tell that Loki very worried until Narfi walked over to her. Cara looked at the child as he tried to get up in the seat next to her and she helped him.  
"Thank you" Narfi said and she only nodded. "I wanted to sit next to you, you looked so lonely here. And father has Váli at his side"  
"That was very kind of you" Cara told him, actually smiling at him. This boy was really sweet, and she was glad that he was after what he had gone through.  
"I hope that's okay father?" Narfi asked and Loki nodded at him and smiled. Cara could tell that he was very proud at his son.  
"Narfi look" Váli said and pointed at the window. It was night outside as the city lit the night sky.  
"Wow, so many light'. It's so pretty" Narfi said.  
"We are landing in 15 minutes" Natasha said.  
"Let's get you kids seated" Tony called and started to put the other children at their seat and look the seatbelt, as Cara and Loki did the same with the twins.

* * *

When they landed Tony, Steve and Natasha took the other kids and went towards X-mansion as Loki lead his children inside the tower. Cara watched Loki as he relaxed a bit more, feeling safer inside the tower. The twins were looking around the place, very curious.  
"But why aren't we in Asgard?" Narfi asked and Loki stopped in the middle of his step he looked very unsure to what he should answer.  
"It's because I am from earth, and I live here." Cara said and Loki smiled at her and the twins smiled too.  
"Aren't you from Asgard? How did you meet father then" Narfi asked.  
"No, I am from earth. And when it's not late and we aren't tired I may tell you" Cara said with a smile and the twins looked disappointed at her.  
"But we aren't tired!" Narfi said and Cara laughed.  
"You may not be, but we are" she said and the twins looked at her and then laughed to, not sure why.  
"Let us show you to your room" Cara said.

The twins had loved their room and had asked if it really was for them and Cara had assured them that it was. She told them that Loki's room was right next to them, and hers was a bit down the hall if they needed something. She had also told them about Jarvis, telling them that they could ask him if they needed anything.  
After the twins had gotten cleaned and got some clothes to sleep in they told them to go to bed. Even if the twins had claimed that they weren't tired they had gone to bed and almost fallen asleep at ones. Cara had just shacked her head as she left the room with Loki who smiled happily at his sons. When they left the room he looked at her.  
"Thank you" he said and she smiled at him.  
"No need to thank me. It's your children, we had to get them back" she told him and he pulled her into a hug and she hugged him back.  
"Are you alright?" he suddenly asked and she knew that he had seen how visiting England and meeting the twins had affected her.  
"I will be in time" she told him and he only nodded. "But I need some sleep"  
Loki looked at her nodding.  
"Good night" he said.  
"Good night Loki, just call for me if there is something you want" she said and then went to her bedroom, needing to sleep.


	18. Always by your side

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And here you have the next chapter, and I am really happy with this one, so I hope you like it too! I thought some things needed to happen, so I let them happen. Haha and I am sorry if things feel chaotic at the end, I kind of wanted it to have that feeling.
> 
> Then let's see what more I have to say. I see Narfi and Váli to be around 4 in human years. But since they also are gods and thy become much, much older I would say that they are around 100 years. So that's why they can talk so well and stuff. But see them as kids, and they act like it. They can just talk very well.
> 
> Then Fury, Hill and Coulson. I know that they are way, way out of characters, but I wanted them to be like this in the story. And again to anyone who really like them and I am writing them so out of character and like this. Hope your survive.
> 
> So it should be a very long chapter, so I hope you enjoy it.

"Lady Cara, the twins are awake, and it seems like they are planning on waking Loki with a surprise" Jarvis said and Cara who just had taken a shower and was on her way to the closet looked up in the celling.  
"Good morning Jarvis, and thank you for telling me this" she said and looked at her clothes. "Did they say what kind of surprise?"  
"From what I could hear it sounded like they wanted to scare him somehow" Jarvis answered and Cara nodded while she put on a a pair of black trousers and a green tank top.  
"Then I think it's best if I stop them" she said with a smile and left her room.

* * *

When Cara got closer to Loki's room she saw the twins coming out from their room and she smiled.  
"Good morning Narfi and Váli" she said in a friendly voice and the twins jumped in surprise and then looked at her.  
"Good morning Cara" Narfi answered.  
"Have you slept well?" she asked and the twins nodded and she smiled. "So what if we make your father some breakfast and surprise him with that instead of trying to scare him?"  
Cara said that instead of telling the twins that they would most likely scare Loki, and who knows what could happen then? If they woke him up, he may not even know what he is doing at first, and Cara would rather not deal with that situation. And she didn't want the twins to see Loki like that, if they would be unharmed. She wouldn't tell them anything about Loki's situation, she would let him tell them when he was read.  
"How did you know?" Narfi asked and Cara laughed.  
"I have supreme powers that let me know everything" she said and the twins looked very doubtful at her. "That or I had some help from Jarvis"  
"Nice to get some acknowledge" Jarvis said.  
"I give credit where credit is due" Cara told him before looking at the twins again. "So breakfast?"

* * *

The twins did go with her to the kitchen and she smiled, glad that she could get them to drop their plan on scaring Loki.  
"So what do you wish to make?" she asked.  
"Rice porridge" Narfi said and Cara nodded.  
"I think I have a recipe for it here somewhere" she said and made a book appear that she started to look in. "Aha, here we have it"  
"Can I see?" Narfi asked and Cara showed them the book and Narfi read it and then nodded. "So is it acceptable?"  
"It is" Narfi said and Cara smiled.  
"Is there something else you want to make Loki?" she asked.  
"Bread" Váli said in a very low voice.  
"Then let's make some bread too" Cara said and placed all the ingredients on the countertop. "Then let's get started"  
"Can we help?" Narfi asked.  
"I thought that was the point of having you here" she said with a smile and the twins smiled too.

Cara could see Loki's smile in theirs, and she was still surprised that he had children, or that he hadn't said anything about them the last time. But to be fair she hadn't said anything about her daughter either. She saw that the twins looked at her waiting for her to say anything, and it reminded her of how her daughter used to do the same. Just give Cara all her attention, always wanting to learn more, be near her and make her smile. Cara closed her eyes for a second, trying to forget about those memories.  
"Cara?" Narfi said and she looked at him.  
"Yeah?" she asked.  
"Are you alright? You seemed to be faraway in thoughts?" he asked and she smiled.  
"Sorry about that. And don't you worry, I am quite fine. So let's get started"

* * *

Having the twins in the kitchen was a challenge, they wanted to help, but their knowledge was very limited. They didn't know how to make food, or use anything in the kitchen and Cara had to watch over them, to be sure that they didn't get hurt, or burned down the kitchen. But they did have fun and the laughed, which made Cara smile too.

The twins seemed to be really happy and not affected on what seemed to have happened to them in the circus. But Cara knew that it could all just be a façade, but she hoped that they weren't to damaged, time could only tell.  
"Are we done now?" Nafri asked.  
"We just need to set the table. The others will be here soon" she said and walked over to the table with the twins next to here.  
"Is that why we made so much food? Because I don't think father will eat all this" Narfi said and Cara nodded.  
"You are correct, all this isn't just to Loki" She answered and turned around to walk back to the kitchen when Loki stood there and she jumped, which made Loki jump too. "Sorry you scared me Loki"  
Loki looked down like he did something wrong.  
"Don't you worry, you didn't do anything wrong. I just wasn't prepared for you to stand there" she said with a smile and the twins who now had placed all the glasses turned around too.  
"Father" they said and ran over to him. Loki kneeled and gave them a hug when they got closer.  
"Good morning" Loki said and then stood up.  
"We made you some breakfast" Váli said and took Loki's hand and walked with him towards the kitchen.  
"Cara helped us" Narfi said when Loki gave them a wondering look. Loki turned around to her and nodded.  
"Thank you" he said and Cara only smiled at him. There was no reason for him to thank her.  
"Can we eat now?" Váli asked and looked at Loki.  
"If you want to eat in your room, I can put it on a tray" Cara said and Loki shook his head and walked over to the table with the twins and started to eat, and she soon joined them.

* * *

As the time went by, some of the others joined them. Steve got back from his run and sat down, and soon after that Natasha walked out of the elevator with a very sleeping Clint, who smiled when he saw the food.  
"You are spoiling him" Natasha said when she sat down.  
"Can't let him be without food and only give you guys" Cara said with a smile. "But I didn't do it all by myself today, Narfi and Váli helped me"  
"So you helped Cara in the kitchen. Was it fun?" Steve asked and the twins nodded.  
"Yes" Narfi said and Cara could tell that they was a bit shy around the others.  
"Someone is shy" Clint said and smiled and the twins blushed.  
"Because pointing it out helps" Natasha said to him. Loki gave his sons a small smile to tell them that it was okay, and the twins nodded back. Cara knew that they would become less shy when they felt at home, or if they spent some time with the others.

"Coffee" Tony said when he walked out from the elevator with Pepper next to him.  
"On the table" Cara said and pointed and Tony just walked over to the pot and poured himself a cup.  
"I am just saying good morning before I am off" Pepper said and Cara stood up.  
"Here is your coffee, some fruit and a sandwich for breakfast, and your lunch" she told Pepper who smiled at her.  
"You didn't need to"  
"I know that I didn't need to. But I do know that you need to eat too" Cara said and smiled.  
"Thank you" Pepper said and then kissed Tony goodbye and left.  
"So how did it go with the children yesterday?" Cara asked and looked at the others.  
"Charles welcomed them. He was happy to see them and I am sure that they will feel at home there" Tony said.  
"Will they be friendly to them?" Narfi asked in a low voice.  
"They will. You do not need to worry about that. They will have a lovely home, lovely friends and if they want some adventures" Tony said and the twins nodded but didn't ask anything else.  
"So how many pranks are you boys going to do?" Tony asked.  
"Tony" Steve said, feeling like Tony already was blaming the twins.  
"Look at them, they are Loki's sons, you can practically read mischief on their foreheads" Tony said and smiled, and the twins looked at him before they looked at each other and smiled.  
"Guess that means a lot" Tony said with a laugh.

* * *

After the breakfast Loki took his children back to their room, to help them get settle. Cara went back to the kitchen with Natasha to put the rest of the food in the fridge so Thor, Jane and Bruce could eat when they felt like it. Tony and Clint decided to watch a movie while Steve said he would do some training.  
"Loki seem to be a good father" Natasha said when they joined the guys in front of the TV.  
"He really does. A bit overprotective maybe, but after all I would be too" Tony told them.  
"It can't really grasp that he has kids. That means that he had a relationship with someone, and they had sex, and then nine months later they had kids together." Clint said.  
"Thank you for telling us how to get kids" Tony said sarcastic.  
"I just mean, I have a hard time seeing him do that. Even if he had lived here for some time now, and we have seen another side of him, I still have a hard time not see him as a person who want to take over earth. I mean having kids? Why on earth did he get kids? And who was crazy enough to get kids with him? I mean for that they need to have sex with him, and…" Clint stopped when he saw Cara's look. "What?"  
"You do know that I used to date him right? And that means we had sex" Cara said.  
"Why? Sure he doesn't look half bad…" Clint said when Tony interrupted him.  
"Not half bad? Have you seen the guy? I am not into guys, but I think I would do the exception for him" Tony said. "He does look perfect and…"  
"Anyway" Clint stopped Tony "He still has the evil look around him, and he is arrogant, and he is the god of lies… Why did you start dating him?"  
Cara laughed.  
"Because I got to know the person behind the evil looks, the arrogance and the lies. And like Tony said he do looks good, really good" She said and Clint just looked at her.  
"But getting kids with him?" Clint said and Cara shrugged her shoulders.  
"That I can't say anything about. We never talked about children, and I do not want another child. But I can see why the women before me wanted to have children with him, at least if they had something like we did" Cara told him.  
"…" Clint started but Tony cut him off again.  
"Enough with your boring questions Clint, I want to know about the sex? How was it?" Tony said.  
"Tony" Natasha said and Cara just shook his head at Tony.  
"I will not give you any details, because you have no right to know that. But what I can tell you is that you learn a few things if you are alive for hundreds of years" Cara said and Tony was about to say something when his phone rung.  
"I will get the details" Tony said and then looked at the phone and stopped smiling. "What do you want Fury?"  
Tony walked away but the others could still hear how he got upset over something and when he got back he did not look happy.  
"Fury is on his way, he want to know more about the children"

* * *

Cara had left the others to go and tell Loki. She founded him in the twins room, sitting at the table with a puzzle. The boys were sitting on each side of Loki, trying to solve the puzzle. Loki didn't seem to mind that they sat that close and Cara was glad that he could have them close without feeling uncomfortable. She knew that she had have a hard time having Minna close after everything, and she had to work really hard to be able, mostly for Minna's sake.  
"Hi" Cara said and entered and they looked at her.  
"Hi Cara" Narfi said and she walked closer.  
"We are doing a puzzle" Narfi said.  
"I can see that, and it looks like it's going really well" she looked down at what looked to be a forest with different creatures, or on its way to be.  
"Do you want to join us?" Váli asked in a low voice.  
"I would have loved too, and if you will allow me I will join the next time, but right now I need to talk to Loki" she said and smiled at him. Loki didn't smile back; he could tell that something was wrong. He stood up and walked over to her.

"I just wanted to tell you that Fury is on his way here" she started and she could see how Loki got really unsure at once. "He wants to know more about the children Tony and the others left at X-mansion yesterday."  
At once Loki looked at his sons who was really concentrated, trying to solve the puzzle.  
"Don't worry, I will not tell him about them. But I wanted to warn you so you know. And if Fury does finds out about them, we can tell them that they are mine, if you are alright with it?" She didn't want Loki to feel like she was doing something he wasn't okay with. It was his children and she would let him decide what to do. Loki thought about it and nodded.  
"Okay" Cara said with a smile. "You should be fine if you stay here"  
Once again Loki nodded and looked at his kids, wanting them to be safe.  
"Do you want me to tell them anything, or do you want to do it yourself?" she asked.  
"I do it" he said and she nodded.  
"Just call for me if there is anything" she said and then left the room, she wanted to meet Fury and to be sure that everything was alright.

* * *

When Cara walked back to the common room she could hear people talking, and it sounded like they were upset. She heard Tony arguing with someone, and she guessed it was Fury since she didn't know that voice.

As she walked into the room she saw that Jane and Thor had joined the others, and that there was a black man with an eyepatch talking to Tony. She also saw that he had company by a woman with brown hair and a man in a suite.  
"Where did the children come from Tony?" Fury asked.  
"That is not important" Tony said. "Why do you even care? They aren't your responsibility or your problem"  
"They become my problem when you brought them to USA and New York! It was twenty mutant kids, and even if Charles will keep an eye on them, who knows what they will do when they turn eighteen." Fury said. "So where did they come from? Can we return them?"  
"You can't return them" Steve said  
"And why is that Rogers?" Fury asked.  
"There is nothing for them there" Steve said.  
"Where did you get them from? Tony I swear if you did something illegal that will get you guys and USA in trouble I will…" Fury started.  
"You think that something involving twenty mutant kids would be legal?" Tony said sarcastically.  
"He has a point sir" the other man said.  
"Doesn't matter that he has a point Coulson. I need to know where they come from, and how he founded them?" Fury said.  
"They saved them, isn't that all you need to know" Cara suddenly said when she got back from getting a cup of tea.  
"And who the hell are you?" Fury said.  
"Cara" she said like she always did when someone asked that question.  
Fury gave her a look, but she just smiled and didn't say anything more about it.  
"Saved them from?" Fury asked.  
"Not a nice place. Isn't that enough for you? And if you are worried about getting into trouble with someone, I can almost promise you that the people that had enslaved the children will not say anything about it" she said and sipped on her tea.  
"And how would you know?" the woman asked.  
"Do you really need to ask that?" Cara said and was just about to say something more when she heard footsteps.

"Mother" Narfi and Váli called and Cara's heart stopped for a second, she had said that they could pretend that the children was hers, but she didn't think they would call her mother. Hel had done the same, but she had left right after so she didn't need to deal with it. Here she had, so she turned around to face the twins, ignoring the pain she felt in her heart.  
"Here" she said and they ran to her.  
"We did finish the puzzle, almost all by ourselves" Narfi told her with a big smile.  
"That is great. Was it a nice picture?" she asked them when Fury spooked again.  
"Did you keep two?" he asked and she stood up.  
"Your thought of humans aren't high" she said and the twins did look at Fury.  
"If you have seen what I have seen you wouldn't have either" he said.  
"Don't assume what I have seen" Cara told him and looked at the twins who stood next to her.  
"Is he going to send us back?" Váli asked and looked at her. She could hear the sorrow in his voice and it made her heart broke even more.  
"No one will send you back" Thor said and the twins looked at him.  
"Uncle Thor" they said in a happy voice and actually ran over to him and Thor lifted them up in his arm and laughed.  
"Hello" Thor said and they hugged him. Cara was a bit surprised by this, Thor had said that he wasn't close to his nephews, but maybe the twins was just happy to see another familiar face.

"Uncle?" Coulson asked.  
"Tony!" Fury said in anger and turned to Stark. "Are you telling me that you have Loki's children here without telling me? Or even planning on turning them in!"  
"They are children…" Jane started but Fury ignored her.  
"And you are there mother? Are you Loki's wife" Fury asked and stepped closer to her, but Cara just stood there sipping on her tea.  
"Don't hurt Mother!" Narfi said and made Thor let go of him and his brother. The twins stepped in between her and Fury and Cara smiled.  
"I would say that it makes it confirmed sir" the woman said.  
"Then we need to bring them in. We can't have them on the lose! Hill, Coulson!" Fury said and grabbed Narfi who cried out in pain and Cara putted down her mug and got a deadly glance in her eyes.

"I wouldn't do that!" Tony said, trying to warn Fury.  
"Let go of him!" she said but Fury just showed Narfi over to Coulson when Váli turned into a wolf and growled. He started walk towards Coulson who raised his gun and Cara was just about to raise a barrier to protect him when felt a gun to her head, forgetting about the woman. She had been too worried about the children and what Fury would do.  
"Fury let them go!" Thor said.  
"You don't know what you are doing!" Steve told him.  
"Shut up. I am going to deal with all of you for hiding them later!" Fury said and looked at Váli who was still walking closer to Coulson and Narfi.  
"Shoot him!" Fury said.  
"But it's a kid, or should be" Coulson protested, and Cara thought he had some morals at least.  
"It is Loki's kid. They are dangerous, look at him now!" Fury said and raised his own gun.  
"Fury stop!" Natasha tried but Fury fired his gun.

Váli jumped but the shoot hit him in the leg and he howled in pain.  
"Váli!" Narfi screamed and tried to get free, but Coulson had a firm grip on him as Fury walked closer to Váli.  
"Stop" Cara cried out, feeling that it all was to familiar, only seeing the scene with Minna before she died in front of her. Cara let the magic flow in her hands, but the woman saw it and soon Cara felt pain in the head. The woman had hit her with the gun and Cara could feel the blood starting to flow. Fury got closer and pointed the gun at Váli's head, the others in the room didn't know what to do, they were worried that they would do something make Fury shoot the boy in the head, and to make Hill shoot Cara. She had already hit her and they didn't want her to get shoot too. Not knowing if she could survive a shoot to the head.  
"Hill handcuff her and come and help me" Fury said and Cara heard Hill getting her handcuffs and Cara kicked her leg. She didn't want to get handcuffed again.  
"Stay still!" Hill said but Cara tried to move when Hill shoot her again, this time in the chest. Cara felt the pain as she looked at Hill with big eyes.  
"Mother!" Narfi cried and Váli looked at her too, trying to move but Fury hold the gun to his head. Which made Narfi scream "Father help!"

The others in the room looked at Cara as she felt to her knees, Váli trying to get away but Fury pressed to his wound, and the wolf cried out in pain again and Narfi cried for help. None of them could really grasp the situation, they were all in shock.  
"Hill!" Fury said and Hill walked over to him. "Watch out, he is trying to bite! I need you to sit on him while I try to tie him down.  
"Don't touch him!" Loki said from behind, just walked into the room. The others did hear the hate and the coldness in his voice, knowing that Loki was really angry, which made him really dangerous. The tree agent's raised their weapons and aimed at Loki. The others saw the look he gave the agents, how magic left his hands, and how the tree agent's flow up in the air and threw the room. They did hear how bones broke as they hit the wall.  
"Father" Narfi cried and ran over to Loki who picked him up and hugged him, crying himself.  
Narfi pulled Loki over to Váli who was bleeding from his wound as he turned back. He was hit in the leg but he tried not to show his pain.  
"It's going to be alright" Loki said in a low voice and kissed Váli's forehead.  
"I know, because Narfi is alright" Váli said and looked at his brother who hugged him.  
"I am so sorry Váli, I shouldn't got caught" Narfi said to his brother and then put his hands over his wounds and the others saw how it started to heal. They looked fascinated at him before they all almost at once remembered Cara and turned towards her.

"Cara" Steve said and kneeled behind her but she didn't answer.  
"Is mother alright?" Váli asked but the others didn't answer. They looked at her and then at Loki, not sure what they would say. Cara's wound was right next to her heart, it was a lot of blood around her, and she was white.  
"Does she has a pulse?" Natasha asked and looked at them, none of them had looked. Steve started to look as Váli stood up, leaning at Loki who just stood there, staring at Cara and the blood.  
"I can't find one" Steve said in panic as he got blood all over his hands. "Wait, wait! I found it, it's very weak, but I found it!"  
"We have to help her!" Thor said.  
"I call an ambulance" Clint said.  
"I have already done that Mr. Barton" Jarvis said.

"No need" Cara suddenly said in a very low voice.  
"Cara!" Steve shouted and smiled in relief.  
"Oh yes you are going to a hospital!" Tony said.  
"I am not" Cara answered, not even looking at him. "It will heal"  
"Are you crazy? You just got shoot, you are bleeding. Who knows how much blood you have lost?" Clint said.  
"It's not even a litre yet" Cara informed them. "Trust me I will be fine. I have been through worse"  
"Worse? Worse would be death!" Tony said.  
"Done that too, but death would not be worse" she said and tried to sit up.  
"Don't" Steve said and she didn't have the strength to fight it.  
"Are the children alright?" she asked.  
"We are mother" Narfi said and walked over to her. "I have healing powers, can I help you?"  
"That won't work on me Narfi, it will only make you feel pain" she said but smiled at him. "But thank you for asking"  
"Are you really going to be alright?" Váli asked as he and Loki walked over to her.  
"I am going to be alright, no need to worry" she said and tried to sit up again but Steve stopped her. "Steve please let go of me."  
"You aren't standing up!" he said and she sighed.  
"I know what I am doing. And I will feel better when I stand up. It's easier for my body to heal the wound if something isn't pressed against it as the floor is now. Luckily it was a threw and threw so I do not need to remove the bullet" she said and smiled. Steve let go of her and she slowly sat up. She was dizzy, and a bit weak but she didn't feel the pain. Loki looked worried at her.

"I am sorry for worrying you Loki" she apologized and Loki just looked shocked at her before he helped her stand up carefully and then pulled her into a hug.  
"I should have been here, I should have protected you, I failed you" Loki said.  
"Don't think about it. No one know this would happen. I thought the twins would be safe here. If someone failed anyone it was me, both you and your kids. I couldn't do anything" Cara answered him but Loki just hugged her to tell her that it was okay. But Cara just shook her head, she couldn't protect Narfi and Váli, just like she hadn't been able to protect Minna either. She felt the tears start to fall.  
"Don't cry mother" Narfi said and hugged her.  
"We are here" Váli said and hugged her too, but it only made her cry even more. She didn't even understood how they could see her as their mother, or was that just what they called her without any meaning behind it. But either way them hugging her meant to much, glad that they accepted her, but it also made her sad, remembering Minna so much.  
"Cara" Loki said and stroke her over her hair trying to comfort her, and Cara felt guilty for making Loki do it. He shouldn't have to deal with her too, not with everything he is going through.

* * *

"Stay down" Tony suddenly said and they all looked at Fury and Hill who was standing up. Coulson was leaning against the wall, leg broken.  
"What is the meaning of this Tony?" Fury said and pointed at Loki. "He is supposed to be locked up in Asgard. Odin told me that he would never get out!"  
"You talked to Odin?" Steve said.  
"He gives me reports from time to time. Telling me that Loki have tried to break out sometimes, that he is going mad and worse than ever. He killed two guards who gave him food" Fury said. "Looks like he finally broke out. Has he compromised all of you?"  
"None of us are under mind control" Clint said.  
"How are you even alive?" Hill said and looked at Cara who felt who Loki got mad at once but Cara stopped him from leaving her side.  
"Because she is our mother! And she is amazing!" Narfi said and Thor laughed.  
"That she is" he said and Cara just shook her head, she wasn't amazing, but she was glad that Narfi defended her.  
"We need to take them in, at least Loki, and return him to Asgard. I don't know about the others, but we will let Odin decide that." Fury said.  
"You will not take my brother!" Thor said when there suddenly was a sound on the roof, they all looked at each other and Cara felt how Loki tensed up. Not knowing what happened.  
"Don't worry Loki, I will protect you" Cara said and Loki looked at her and then he actually laugh a warm laugh.  
"You can barely stand up" he said to her and Cara gave him a look.  
"Doesn't matter. I will protect you!" she told him and he just shook his head at her and smiled. But as the step got closer he tensed up again and Cara took his hand.  
"We will protect you too father" Váli and Narfi said.  
"You will do no such thing. If anything happens you run and hide!" Loki told them.

When the step come closer they all stood prepared for the worst when Frigga suddenly walked into the room. She stopped when she saw all of them.  
"Is this a traditional greeting here on earth?" she said with a smile and looked at all of them.  
"Grandmother" the twins suddenly said and run over to her. Frigga was first very surprised before she kneeled down.  
"Hi my angles" she said and hugged them tightly. She was so relieved to see her youngest grandkids again, she thought she would never see them again. "But you are bloody"  
Frigga looked worried at them when she gave them a closer look.  
"A lot of you are actually bloody. What happened?" she was worried.  
"The bad man tried to capture us, he then shoot Váli and Cara" Narfi said and pointed at Fury and Frigga looked angry at him.  
"You try to hurt children?" she said.  
"His children!" Fury said and pointed at Loki and Frigga looked at him.  
"Oh Loki" she said and walked over to him and Loki looked down, not daring to look at his mother. "Please look at me love"  
Loki slowly looked at her and Frigga smiled at him.  
"It's so good to see you again" she said, even if he still was thin and covered in blood, she meant it. "Is it okay to hug you?"  
Loki looked very unsure, and Cara knew that it wasn't because he was scared of Frigga, he felt unworthy. Frigga stood there with open arms but Loki didn't move so Cara pushed him very lightly towards his mother and Loki looked surprised at her, but Cara only smiled and leaned against the table instead. Loki slowly walked to Frigga and hugged her.  
"Oh Loki" Frigga said and hold her youngest close.  
"Mother" Loki said in a low voice and Cara smiled.

After a while Loki stepped back and stood next to Cara.  
"Cara" Frigga said and looked at her with horror.  
"I have been worst, don't you worry about me" she said and Frigga gave her a serious look.  
"I think I am going to worry about you anyway" Frigga said and Cara just smiled.  
"I can't stop you from doing" she answered her. "But what are you doing here Frigga?"  
"I have bad news" she said and looked at Loki. "Odin has figured out that you have escaped"  
Cara saw how all the colour of Loki's face disappeared, how he tried to grasp what he heard, how he started to shake.  
"He is going to find me" Loki said and putted his arm arounds him, trying to protect himself. "I can't…I can't go back"  
Cara saw how Loki tried to stay calm but he couldn't. He started to walk back and forth over the floor.  
"Loki" Cara said in a friendly voice but he didn't listen to her.  
"I can't…I can't…" he only said over and over.  
"Loki, love" Frigga tried but he didn't hear her either.

"So he did break out. Then Odin is going to be happy to get him back" Fury said and took a step closer.  
"Stop" Tony said.  
"Get out of the way Tony. All of you have done enough damage as it is. I am going to deal with you later" Fury said.  
"You aren't touching my brother" Thor said.  
"He is a criminal, and a monster. He is going to go back where he belongs! And I am going to take the kids and his wife too." Fury said.  
"Fury stop" Steve said this time.  
"Out of the way, it's an order!" he shouted to them and raised his weapons and so did Hill, which made the Avengers get hostile too, and Loki to be even more scared.  
"What's wrong with father?" Narif asked.  
"Father?" Váli asked and Cara could hear how scared they were when suddenly a shoot got fired. Loki jumped before he screamed and covered his ear when the others started to fight. The twins started to cry and trying to talk to their father who fell down on his knees panicking.  
"Stop" Cara screamed and let go of her magic. Everyone around her suddenly stopped in the middle of their step, except Loki, who she hadn't dared to hit with magic, not knowing what would happen. Cara grabbed the table to not fall down, she was breathing heavily, trying to even stand up. Her body was near exhausting and shutting down until it got its energy back.

When she had caught her breath a bit she turned around to the others.  
"You will not touch Loki in anyway. I will kill you before you do!" she said to Fury. "He will never go back to Odin!"  
Fury could of course not answer since he was caught in the spell.  
"I do not know what to do with you at this moment. I don't have time to deal with you either. If I could I would kill you just to get rid of you, actually all of you. But I will not do that because I don't kill in cold blood, normally. Do anything to Loki or even try to do anything and I will kill you." She warned them and then looked at the Avengers. "Can you deal with them? I do not care what you do with them, as long as he cannot contact Odin"  
Cara let go of the spell of the Avengers who nodded and as they took the weapons from Fury and the others, and handcuffed them she let go of the spell of them too.  
"We will come up with something" Steve said.  
"Thank you" she answered before she turned towards the twins and let go of the spell over them as she kneeled before them.  
"I know that you are scared, and I know that you are wondering what's happening to your father. I will talk to him and see what I can do. But I need you to be strong. Can you do that?" she asked and the slowly nodded.  
"Is father going to be alright?" Váli asked.  
"I don't know, but I will do my best to help him. But you should know that he loves you very much, no matter what happens" she said.  
"We love him too. Can you tell him that?" Narfi asked.  
"Of course!" Cara said and the twins hugged her and she hugged them back. "I need you to go with your grandmother and uncle"  
Cara freed Frigga and then looked at her and then at Thor, both of them nodded.  
"Come" Thor said and the twins walked over to Thor who picked them up.  
"Help him Cara" Frigga said and looked at Loki.  
"I will do my best" she only said as Frigga walked after Thor and Jane who had walked away with the twins. And soon the rest of the avengers left the room too.

* * *

Cara turned towards Loki who sat on the floor with his tears falling, and she saw that he dragged his nails up and down his arm. She saw the blood that was dropping on the floor and she wanted to hug Loki, telling him everything would be alright, but she couldn't. She couldn't say everything would be alright, because she didn't know. Instead she started to sing the song she had sung before and hoped that it would help.

After what Cara thought was an hour Loki had stopped scratch himself, but it took another hour before he stopped shaking, and after the third hour he looked at her and she smiled.  
"Hi" she only said when Loki suddenly throw himself in her arms. She felt the pain in her chest but she ignored it. She understood how scared he was and she hugged him as she strokes his back. "I am here"

Loki didn't say anything, he just sat there in her arms on the floor.  
"I will protect you at any cost, you and the kids" she said. "I will never leave you alone. If Odin want's you, he will get me too"  
Loki did look at her in horror.  
"No" he said in a low voice "Don't do that"  
"I will try not to let it happen, but I will not let you be alone in that cell again! And trust me I can handle it" she said and smiled a smile without any joy in it, which made Loki look at her with sad eyes. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. We will fight, I will fight for you! I told you years ago that I am always at your side, always!"  
"Not in that" Loki whispered and Cara hugged him.  
"If that's what is needed to help you, I am" she told him and Loki started to cry.  
"I am so sorry...I want…to…do more." He said to her. "I am…such a…burden"  
"Loki you aren't a burden, I wouldn't be here if I thought that! You are my friend and I care about you! And you are doing everything you can! You saved us earlier" Cara told him.  
"You were…in…danger…because of…me" Loki said while crying.  
"I know what I was getting myself into years ago, and your children loves you. They will never leave your side or think you are a bad father because of what happened. You are there hero, they believe in you, and you did save them" Cara told him and Loki didn't answer her.

"Loki you need to sleep; I need to sleep. I know that you are scared but I you will be safe in your room, you can lock the door and be invisible. And the others are in the tower, they will help you" Cara told him and he looked at her.  
"Stay with me" he said and she smiled.  
"Didn't plan on leaving you" she told him and he slowly stood up and helped her up. She almost fell and he caught her. "Sorry about that"  
Loki just picked her up in his arms and carried her to his room.


	19. A spell of protection

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I am so sorry for it taking so long before updating. It has been a long and tiresome week, with a lot of work, headache and depression. But anyway here is the next chapter. And I will also apologize for this chapter. I had so much problem writing it, no inspiration and I am sorry if it's boring. I think it is, actually one of the worst one. Haha because now you really want to read it, don't you. Anyway. I had to get some information out in this chapter, but I felt like it wasn't enough to make it interesting. And I had to write this chapter to get the story going.
> 
> But I will let you decide what you think, and hope that you can at least get through it.
> 
> I promise that you will meet Fandral and Fury in the next chapter. So hopefully you will like that. And I promise to try to write the next chapter as soon as I can!
> 
> Enjoy (or try) to enjoy the reading! :)

When Cara woke up in the morning she turned around to see that Loki was awake.  
"Have you slept at all?" she asked him and he looked at her and shook his head. "I know that it's hard, but you need to sleep"  
"I…I can't. When I try I see everything so clear" Loki said in a low voice and Cara offered her hand to him, and he took it.  
"I understand, and I know how you feel. But not sleeping isn't the answer, it may actually make the situation worse, since you may fall asleep at the wrong time" she said.  
"I know" Loki just answered her and she smiled at him.  
"I can make a potion to help you sleep if you want?" she asked him and he shook his head and she smiled again. "Will it help if I stay awake?"  
"You need to rest" he said and looked at her. Cara know that she most likely looked awful since yesterday, but she didn't care.  
"I can rest later, and I have already refuelled a lot of my energy. So don't you worry" she told him but Loki didn't look convinced. "You can at least try to sleep. If you can't, well then I will sleep instead, okay?"  
At that Loki nodded, Cara was sure he thought that he couldn't sleep so that she soon would. Loki closed his eyes and Cara started to sing on the sung as she stroked his hair, and soon he had fallen asleep and she smiled.

* * *

When Loki woke up a few hours later he looked surprised at her but she just smiled at him.  
"Did you use magic?" he asked almost scared.  
"I wouldn't do that without your knowledge. No I guess you just was more tired than you thought" Cara said and Loki slowly nodded, not sure if he believed her or not. Cara understood that he wanted, but some fear was hard to ignore.  
"Thank you" he said after a few minutes.  
"No need to thank me" she told him and sat up. Loki looked at her with careful eyes. "Don't worry, I am feeling much better. The wound has almost healed"  
"That's a lie" Loki said and Cara laughed.  
"Fine, it's a lie. But it's healing so don't you worry" she told him as she stood up, feeling how weak she was, she had to lean against the wall and she laughed again. "I always forget how weak I get after things like this. Guess I need to take it easy today"  
"You should not stand" Loki said and gave her a worried look.  
"It will not be worst if I am standing, and I need to make some food for us, and then take a shower, I am still covered in blood" she said.  
"I can manage without food" Loki said in a very low voice and Cara turned around.  
"So can I, don't mean we should! And don't worry Loki, I will not make you go without food. What kind of friend would I be then?" she asked but Loki didn't answer her and she walked over to him and sat down again.

"I know that they most likely told you that you weren't worthy to get food, that it was too much of a trouble. Or that you would get food if you behaved. Using food against you is a way of having power over you. They know that you need food to survive and they are the only ones that can give it to you. So you try to make it without it, and for a while you can. You get used to not eating, trying not to give them the power but it's not the way, but what else can you do" she started and Loki met her glance, almost shocked over how well she know.  
"But you never need to worry about that with me. I will never deny you food. It is no trouble at all to get food for you. Or okay that was a lie, I may need to fight Clint to get the food if I only make it for you" Cara said and Loki actually smiled and that made her happy.  
"So please don't say things like that again. I am helping you because I want and it is no trouble for me, and trust me you are worth it!" Cara said and Loki nodded.  
"Sorry" he said in a low voice without looking at her.  
"No need to apologize, I understand how you feel. I just want you to understand that it is not a problem" she said in a very kind voice and then stood up again, to get some food.

Cara had just reached the door when it knocked.  
"Loki? Cara? It's me, Frigga, may I come in?" Frigga asked and Cara looked at Loki who slowly nodded and Cara opened the door.  
"Hi" she said to the queen who smiled and walked in with a tray in her hands.  
"Good after noon, I thought you may be hungry" Frigga said and Cara smiled.  
"I know that I am" she said and walked over to the table and sat down. Loki looked very unsure when Frigga sat down too. "Do you want to join us Loki, or do you want to eat later?"  
Loki looked at Cara then at Frigga and then back to Cara, thinking and Cara gave him the time he needed.

"Can I?" he finally asked and Frigga actually dropped her cup, which scared Loki who looked down thinking he had done something wrong.  
"Oh dear, you don't need to ask if you can eat with us" Frigga said in a friendly voice and gave him the smile she only had for him.  
"You just shocked her Loki, she isn't mad at you, don't worry" Cara explained and Loki looked up and slowly stood and walked over to them.  
"I can't be mad at you" Frigga said and looked at her youngest when he sat down. Seeing him like this broke her heart. He had always been so full of life, questioning and challenging everything. He had been so sure about himself, and to see what Odin had done to him made her so mad and sad. It was her baby boy, she hated to see him like that. Odin would pay for it!

"How are the twins?" Loki asked her when he felt more comfortable and Frigga smiled, knowing that Loki cared so much for his children.  
"They are fine, they are worried about you, but they are having a fun time with your brother and Jane" Frigga told him and Loki nodded.  
"I am glad to hear that" he said.  
"Thank you for taking care of them" Cara said to Frigga who smiled.  
"There was no problem, I am glad to meet my grandkids again. They are so sweet, and so lively. Or I am just getting old" she said and laughed.  
"You aren't getting old mother" Loki said.  
"That's sweet of you to say that" Frigga answered him and Cara smiled at them both, knowing how much Frigga meant to Loki and how much Loki meant to Frigga.  
"But it must be a big change for you Cara?" Frigga said and Cara looked at her a bit puzzled. "I mean having children"  
At those words Cara looked out of the window and shook her head.  
"Not really. I have had children before" she just said.  
"Oh?" Frigga started.  
"Mother" Loki stopped her and Frigga looked at Cara who looked really upset.  
"I am sorry, I spook out of turn" Frigga said and Cara turned and smiled to her, not a happy smile as always, rather a forced one.  
"You didn't know. So there is no reason to blame you for it" Cara said and Frigga took her hand.  
"I am still sorry" she said and Cara nodded and they sat silent for a while, eating without having anything to say.

"Your brother told me he is getting married" Frigga said a few minutes later and Loki nodded. "He also said he asked you to be his best man. I think it's wonderful"  
Loki didn't answer at first, not sure what to say.  
"I don't think I can" he finally asked.  
"Why not? Thor would love for you to be" Frigga said and Loki couldn't answer and Cara took his hand.  
"I would guess that Loki feels like he is not worthy of it, that and he do not wish to be in the same room as the friends Thor has from Asgard, not feeling safe around them" Cara told Frigga and Loki nodded.  
"Oh? I hadn't thought of it, and I am sure you brother hasn't either." Frigga said and Cara understood. People around you often forgot about things like that, not seeing the problem since they weren't in the situation. "Do you want me to talk with Thor to see if he can solve the problem?"  
Loki shrugged his shoulders.  
"I just don't want Thor to get his hopes up" Loki said in a low voice.  
"It's almost like you don't know your brother" Frigga said with a laugh and Loki actually smiled a small smile. "But I will try to talk to him about it"  
"Thank you" Loki said and Frigga nodded and then stood up.  
"I should go and talk with your brother" she said and walked towards the door when Loki spook again.

"Mother?" he said and Frigga stopped and turned to face Loki. "Can he find me here?"  
Those words made Frigga almost cry, to hear how scared and worried Loki was.  
"I don't know dear" she admitted. "I don't think he will look here at once, not believing you would be on Midgard and living with the Avengers and your brother"  
"But he can find me?" Loki asked and Cara walked up next to Loki and took his hands as she saw how he started to get more scared.  
"We will protect you Loki" she said and he just shook his head.  
"I don't want you to get hurt or die" he whispered to her.  
"I will not stand back and watch him take you again!" Cara said in a way that told him that she meant it and would not discuss the matter.  
"I will do my best to protect you from Asgard" Frigga said and walked over to them again. "But I may help you from here too. I may be able to put a spell on you that makes it harder for Odin and Heimdall to find you"  
Loki looked at her and nodded.  
"Cara would you help me? I think the magic will be stronger if we are two" Frigga said and Cara nodded.  
"Just tell me what to do" Cara said and Frigga started to explain how the spell worked and how you used it.

* * *

When they had used the spell at Loki, Frigga had left the room and walked back to the others. She was hoping that the spell would work. Her magic was strong, but not as strong as Odin's, but they had different magic so she hoped that her magic would stop his. She didn't want to see Loki get more hurt! He did not deserve that. Her boy had been through so much already, and she hoped that he would get better. She didn't want to think about what would have happened if Thor hadn't found him, or if Loki didn't have Cara. Frigga was sure that how much she loved her son, she could never help him through this.

When she got back to the kitchen she saw how the twins was playing cards with Thor, Jane and Steve who seemed to have joined them and she smiled. She was happy that her grandkids were back with their father. But she was wondering what had happened to their mother.  
"Grandmother" Váli said and she smiled at him and walked over.  
"How is father?" Narfi asked and Frigga was glad that they cared so much about Loki.  
"He seemed to be doing a little bit better, but it's hard for me to tell" she said as she sat down.  
"Will he be alright?" Váli asked.  
"Let's hope so. But I know that Cara will do her best to help him" Frigga told them.  
"I know she will. Mother is a very nice person, and she cares about father" Narfi said.  
"Mother?" Frigga asked.  
"Father told us to call her mother when we was here, to protect us. It was so people wouldn't know who our father is" Váli explained.  
"It didn't go so well" Narfi said and thought about yesterday.  
"You are not to blame for that! That was all Fury's fault!" Thor said to them and the twins slowly nodded.  
"So why call her mother now?" Frigga asked and the twins smiled.  
"Because she looks after us, just like father does. And she is someone special to father and there for a part of our family" Narfi said and Thor laughed and the twins didn't understand why.

"I am sorry kids, but you are onto something, and you may not know what yet" Thor said. "But you may be able to admit it before your father will"  
"Thor, Loki has showed that Cara is special for him" Steve said and played a card.  
"He has, but he has not said it yet" Thor said and smiled.  
"Don't put pressure on him to do so either Thor!" Frigga said and Thor nodded.  
"I won't do that mother. Doing so will just make him stop. He will get so embarrassed. I remember when I caught him play hide and seek with her years ago, he felt so a shamed of it." Thor said with a laugh.  
"Father did that?" Váli asked with big eyes and Thor nodded.  
"He sure did. I have said it before, but she brings out the best in him" Thor smiled.  
"I want to play hide and seek with father too" Narfi said.  
"You can ask him when he feels better" Frigga said and the twins nodded with big smiles on their faces.  
"He is never going to find us!" Váli said, very sure of himself.  
"And why is that?" Jane asked.  
"Because we have magic that will help us" Narfi said.  
"He has magic too, you know?" Thor said and the twins thought about it.  
"Not as great as ours" Váli said with a laugh.  
"Oh we will see about that" Thor told them with a laugh, very sure that Loki would have no problem finding them.

* * *

"Thor I need to talk to you about the wedding" Frigga said when they started a new game of cards.  
"What about it mother?" Thor asked and played the first card.  
"Loki told me not to get your hope up that he may be your best man" she said and played a card on her own.  
"Why not?" Thor asked a bit disappointed.  
"Cara said that he may not feel worthy…" Frigga started.  
"That is stupid, he is my brother! He is without a doubt worthy to be my best man!" Thor said and Frigga smiled.  
"I think that it has to do what he has been through, he is very ashamed of it. So don't pressure him about it, because I don't think you can do anything to help him here" Frigga explained. "Just let the time has it course. But there is something else Cara said"  
"What?" Thor asked.  
"She told me that Loki may not dare to be your best man because of the people you may invite from Asgard. I had not thought about it, and my guess is that you haven't either. So before you invite everyone, think about who you invite and how they will react to Loki" Frigga told him and Thor thought about it.  
"I hadn't thought about that. I just thought that I would invite all my friends and everything would be perfect if they and Loki were there. I never thought on how they would react to Loki" Thor said.  
"Then let's think it over" Jane said and smiled towards Thor who nodded.  
"I think the biggest problem would be father. I do not wish him to be there, not after what he have done! But I am not sure how I can make that happen" Thor said and Frigga nodded.  
"Neither am I, but we will think of something" Frigga said.  
"Why can't grandfather be there?" Narfi asked and the others looked at the twins, forgetting that they didn't know what they had done. Frigga wasn't even sure that they knew that it was Odin who made them leave Asgard.  
"That is up to your father to tell you" Frigga said and the twins slowly nodded.

* * *

"I need to get back to Asgard now. Odin thinks I only visited Thor to tell him that Loki has escaped" Frigga said after they were done with the game.  
"You are leaving already?" Váli said in a sad voice.  
"I am afraid. I will get back and visit as soon as I can" she said and hugged the twins.  
"Can we go back with you? To say hello to grandfather?" Narfi asked and the others looked very unsure at each other.  
"Not at this moment. And I think your father needs you more" Frigga told the twins and they nodded.  
"You are right" Váli said and Frigga smiled, proud over how clever the kids were.  
"Then I bid all of you farewell" she said and hugged them all.  
"Aren't you going to say goodbye to Loki?" Thor asked.  
"I did that already" she told him. "So take care, all of you!"  
"You too" They answered her as Frigga walked towards the roof.  
"So what are we going to do now?" Jane asked.  
"I am going to talk to Fandral" Thor said and she looked puzzled at him. "I want to know who else… um don't like Loki, so I don't invite them to the wedding"  
Thor looked at the twins who looked at him, he had almost told them something they shouldn't know.  
"I see" Jane said and nodded before she turned toward the twins. "How about me and Steve show you some of Tony's videogames while uncle Thor does boring wedding things?"  
"What is videogames?" Narfi asked.  
"Come, let me show you" Jane said and took the twins hands and walked towards the TV with Steve next to her. Thor smiled before he started walking to the elevator, hoping that Fandral would give him some information.


	20. Don't say it until you are ready

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the new chapter, and I am very happy with it. I liked how it turned out. And I am sorry that you didn't get like any Fury, I had planed on doing it, but it just felt like it didn't fit in the chapter, so I will soon give it to you. And I am also sorry if you wanted more Fandral, but hope you are happy with what you got.
> 
> I am also sorry that Doctor Strange is way, way out of character, but I just needed to use him in the story, and have him in it. I am also sorry that I used his powers a bit different. But I hope your survive.
> 
> The world they go to is the world of One Piece, for you not knowing what it is, its a manga about pirates. That pretty much all you need to know. (I can recommend it tho!). And I am sorry if you felt like the story went a bit of topic with the chapter and the traveling. But Cara has like nothing left on earth and since she travels a lot, she has her home in different worlds. And I thought that One Piece was the easiest to use here.
> 
> Besides that I am also sorry if Loki felt very strange in this chapter and if I couldn't describe how he feels. It's a bit like Stockholm Syndrome, but not totally, so I will not use that term in the chapter. And I am also sorry if it felt like he started to talk a lot all out of the sudden. I try not to make him do stuff to fast, but I also don't want them to stand still, since the story is moving forward and Loki is starting to feel a bit safer, at least some moments. And he starts to talk with everyone when he feels like he can and dare.
> 
> I think that was all the information you needed.
> 
> I hope you will enjoy the chapter! :)

"Lady Cara, I must inform you that Mr. Odinson is almost killing Fandral again" Jarvis said with what sounded like a tired voice. Cara who had been drawing looked up at the celling.  
"He is what? How? Why?" Cara was confused, what had made Thor almost kill Fandral again.  
"He went down to talk to Fandral about the wedding, and who he could invite. He wanted to know that none of the guests he invited had touched Loki. Fandral refused him that information and Thor took to violence" Jarvis told her and Cara sighed.  
"We must stop him!" Loki looked at her and she looked at him. "If you want, I will! I can't let him die, not after all the help he gave me!"  
Cara had barely time to react before Loki almost ran out of the room and she went after him.

She knew how he felt, you hated the person that did the things to you, but you also protect them for some reason. You feel like you own them, or rather that they own you and you have to protect them, you are theirs, and they need you. And also, you know what will happen if you don't help them, things will be worse. Cara had been there before, she had defended the people hurting her, after words when she was free, she could not explain this to the others, she could not make since of her actions. It is just something you need to do in the moment. But she also knew that it could end so much worse. It had for her, more than one times. She had been stuck with the people who hurt her after that, and she would not let that happen to Loki.

Loki stepped into the elevator and Cara right after him. She could see his distressed look and how he wanted to get there faster.  
"Jarvis can you stop the elevator?" she asked.  
"Of course Lady Cara" Jarvis answered and the elevator stopped and Loki looked at her.  
"Make it work again!" Loki demanded and she shook his head.  
"I need to talk to you first, before we get there!" Cara said in a calm voice.  
"No you do not!" Loki told her in an angry voice.  
"Yes I do!" she said "Loki I know why you are doing this, and how you feel…"  
"Stop! Are those the only word you are capable of saying?" Loki asked her in a mocking voice. "I am tired of hearing them, you do not know how I feel!"  
Cara know that Loki was upset, scared and worried, that's why he said those word, but it still hurt.  
"Even if I didn't know how you feel, I can still tell you that this is a bad idea and that you have no reason to go back to Fandral!" Cara said.  
"You can tell me? You can tell me? You can't tell me anything, because you don't know! He helped me! He was nicer than the others! I can't let Thor kill him! Not when I was the one that asked Fandral for it. I flirted with him over the years, I lead him on. I asked for it!" Loki shouted at her.  
"No you did not ask for this, Loki. You are allowed to flirt with people, that does not mean that they can rape you and do whatever they want to you! And Fandral may have been nicer than others, it does not mean he was nice to you. Loki I saw you, he was not nice to you!" Cara tried to explain to him.  
"He was nice! You weren't there! You left me and you weren't there so you wouldn't know!" Loki said and Cara was about to apologize for it, even if there was no chance for her to know what happened, she still felt sorry for not being there. "And are you telling yourself that it's okay to flirt without anything happen every time they rape you? Maybe you shouldn't lead them on yourself!" Loki shouted at her and Cara stared at him in shook and tried not to cry.  
"Jarvis make the elevator go again" she said in a low voice and Loki smiled, a smile of victory. Cara didn't say a word to him.

When they stopped Loki stepped outside and she was about to do the same.  
"I don't want you here. I don't need you here!" Loki said and looked at her.  
"Just be careful, and remember your son's upstairs" she told him but Loki didn't answer her as he left her standing there. Cara knew all too well why Loki had done it, she had done this herself. She had refused the help and walked back to the people hurting her. But she had never spoken such mean words to her savers. And she had never believed Loki would do that to her.  
"Jarvis I am heading out" she told him.  
"I understand Lady Cara. To where if I may ask?" Jarvis asked.  
"Home" she just said and then vanished in thin air.

* * *

Thor turned around when he heard the door open, not surprised that someone would come, counting on Jarvis telling someone. But what did surprise him was that it was Loki who stood there.  
"Brother?" Thor asked.  
"Step away from him Thor" Loki said without looking at Thor. Thor was very puzzled over why Loki was there, especially alone. But he looked at Fandral and let go of him. At ones Loki walked over to him.  
"Hi love, I knew you would come" Fandral said in a sweet voice that made Thor wanting to punch him in the face. Loki only nodded as he looked Fandral over.  
"You are hurt" he said.  
"Don't talk! I have told you not to talk!" Fandral said in an angry voice and Loki lowered his head. "I will forgive you for this time, you are just worried. But everything will be alright"  
Loki nodded and Fandral smiled at Thor.

"I think you can leave now Thor" Fandral said in a mocking voice.  
"I think not!" Thor said and looked at Loki who only looked at Fandral. "Loki why are you here? Where is Cara?"  
Loki did look at Thor this time and saw confusion and sorrow in his eyes.  
"That is a good question, love, where is Cara?" Fandral asked and looked at him but Loki didn't answer. "You can speak now"  
"I…I sent her away" Loki said in a very low voice and Fandral laughed.  
"That's perfect! You finally realised who you wanted to be with" Fandral said and stroke Loki's cheek. "She was just in the way anyway. And didn't I tell you that she was worthless and that she didn't care about you. She would never have left you if she did care"  
At those words Loki met Fandral's eyes and shook his head.  
"You are wrong, she do care" Loki said in a low voice and Fandral asked again.  
"Oh Love, how wrong you are. If she did care she would come and get you! Instead she sent you right to me without doing anything." Fandral said and kissed Loki. Thor saw how scared that kiss made Loki and pulled him away from Fandral, before he punched Fandral in the face.  
"Don't you dare do that again!" Thor said in an angry voice.  
"Thor!" Loki said and looked worried at Fandral.  
"Loki don't listen to him! Cara cares, just like you said!" Thor told him and Loki looked at him and then Fandral, not sure what to do. And Thor wasn't sure what to do either, he was not good at handling situations like this. He was sure of what he knew, Cara did care about Loki, over almost everything, so why had she just left, even if Loki asked her.  
"He is wrong Loki! She isn't here, just like she wasn't the last time. She does just not care love, not like I do. I was the one that helped you, remember?" Fandral said as he stood up and walked over to Loki and grabbed his arm. "Don't do anything stupid now Loki!"  
Loki looked between Fandral and Thor, and Thor saw how scared Loki was, and how unsure.  
"Stop touching him Fandral" Thor said and walked closer to them but Loki stopped Thor again.  
"Thank you love" Fandral said and kissed Loki on the cheek. "So how about sending Thor away, and I will make you forget all about how Cara left you"  
"She didn't leave me!" Loki said and looked at Fandral who took a step back, unwillingly.  
"Don't talk Loki!" Fandral warned him.  
"She didn't leave me!" Loki shouted at Fandral.  
"Yes she did! She isn't here! She left!" Fandral said when Loki punch him in the face so he fell backwords.

"Brother!" Thor said in joy and laughed, but Loki looked at Thor with horror.  
"What did I do?" Loki said and Thor walked over to his little brother.  
"The right thing!" Thor said but Loki shook his head.  
"No, I need to help him, I need to…" he said while he was crying and Thor gently pulled him into a hug, hoping that Loki wouldn't mind. But Loki did nothing, he just stood there.  
"Let's leave him and find Cara instead" Thor said and Loki looked at him.  
"What have I done?" he said and pulled away from Thor. "She will never speak to me again, I treated her horrible"  
Loki started walking back and forth, panicking.

"Brother, take a deep breath. Whatever did happen I am sure she will forgive you" Thor said, trying to comfort Loki.  
"You are so naïve Thor" Loki only said and Thor walked over and stood in Loki's way.  
"I may be naïve, but I know that Cara loves you very much, and she will never leave you! She will be back and you guys can fix this" Thor said and Loki stared at him.  
"She…she loves me? Still after…after everything?" Loki didn't seem to believe it.  
"I thought you knew brother?" Thor said and Loki shook his head. "Oh Loki, her love is so obvious. The way she looks at you, defends you, protects you, talk to you, talk about you. She does all those things because she loves you, no matter what happened after you let go all those years, she still loves you"  
"Why?...She never said…anything" Loki stared down at the floor.  
"She didn't? I thought she would have said something to make you think it at least. But well after your reactions right now I may be wrong. But I guess she thought you wasn't ready to hear it" Thor said.  
"I hurt her Thor, all she ever does is be kind to me, and I hurt her! I can't, I don't know what to do" Loki said and Thor just hugged him. He knew how much Cara meant for Loki, even if Loki didn't always know it himself. And he knew how much Loki meant for Cara, so he was sure that they could work this out.  
"Let's find her" Thor said and Loki slowly nodded. "Um Jarvis?"  
"Yes Mr. Odinson?" Jarvis said.  
"Do you know where Cara is?" Thor asked, not really sure what the magic not existing person could do.  
"She said she would go home" Jarvis informed them.  
"Home where?" Thor asked.  
"She didn't say" Jarvis said and Thor looked at Loki who didn't seem to know what to do.  
"Let's talk with Tony, he may know how to find her"

* * *

Steve stepped out from Fury's room after talking to him for a few hours and explaining the situation. A situation he wasn't sure if the director understood, he said he did, but for some reason Steve couldn't seem to believe him. He felt like he would need Natasha or Clint speak to him, they may get more information then he got. All Steve got was the information they already had. He didn't know how to get more, but then he was a soldier not an interrogator. But Fury would have important information, like how Odin covered up what happened to Loki.

When Steve turned around to walk to the elevators he saw Thor and Loki leaving Fandral's room.  
"Hi" he said to the brothers who looked at him. Thor looked very determined about something and Loki looked worse than ever. Steve was confused. Loki had looked awful when he last saw him, that was true, but this was something else. "Is everything alright?"  
"My friend, do you know where Tony is?" Thor asked.  
"Last I heard he was in his lab with Bruce, trying to moderate Clint's bow" Steve said.  
"Thank you" Thor said and then looked at Loki. "Let's go"  
"Thor what is going on?" Steve asked.  
"We need Tony's help to find Cara" Thor said.  
"She is missing?" Steve asked, very surprised.  
"She…she left, but we do not know where" Thor only said and Steve nodded.  
"I am coming with you"

* * *

Tony was in his lab with Bruce, just like Steve had said. And both scientists gave them a strange look when they walked in.  
"Friend Tony we need your help" Thor said.  
"I figured big guy, why else would you be down here?" Tony asked and then looked at an arrow. "So what can I do?"  
"We need to find Cara" Thor said.  
"Ask Jarvis, why come to me?" Tony asked.  
"Because she has left to go home. And we needed your help to find where home is" Thor said.  
"She left?" Tony said. "Why would she do that?"  
At those words Loki looked down and Tony gave him a suspicious look.  
"What happened?" Tony asked.  
"That isn't information I am going to give you" Loki said.  
"Wow, something bad then" Tony said.  
"Tony!" Bruce warned him.  
"Fine" Tony putted down the arrow. "Jarvis can you scan the world for Cara's image and spikes of her magic?"  
"I have ever since she left" Jarvis said and Tony laughed.  
"Of course you have."  
"How long will it take to find her?" Steve asked.  
"I can't say Mr. Rogers. Searching for her magic is easier then searching for her image. But I don't know if she can hide it, because if she can then we will wait for us to find her image" Jarvis said.  
"What if she isn't on earth?" Thor asked and the looked at him.  
"Then I can't find her" Jarvis said.  
"Why wouldn't she be on earth?" Bruce asked.  
"Because she can travel between different words. When I found her the last time she was in another world" Thor said.  
"But she is from here, shouldn't she have a home here?" Steve asked.  
"There is nothing left for her here" Loki said.  
"Right, her family is dead, so is her friends. So yeah maybe this isn't home anymore" Tony said. "So how do we find her? How did you do it the last time?"  
"I asked Heimdall, but I don't think we can take that risk again, not now when father is back" Thor said.  
"Then how will we find her?" Steve asked and the others didn't say anything at first, until Tony smiled.  
"We ask Doctor Strange of course!"

* * *

Doctor Strange had agreed to help them and had soon joined them in the lab. They had decided not to tell the others yet. The agents were training and they felt no need to interrupt them, and the thought that it was better not to tell the twins, and therefore not Jane either.  
"Stephen" Tony said with a smile when the other man appeared out of thin air.  
"Tony" Strange answered then looked around in the room and his eyes stopped at Loki. "My guess is that you have a good explanations for him to be here?"  
"We do! But it's kind of a long story" Steve said.  
"I would like to hear it before I help you" Strange said.  
"Then sit down!" Tony told him and started telling it.

"So you want me to find this Cara?" Strange asked and the others nodded when Tony was done, after an hour or so.  
"I will see what I can do. Would be easier if I had something to recognise her magic with"  
"Will this do?" Loki asked and showed him the orb, and Strange took it.  
"This is fine magic, she is very skilled" he said and felt the magic before giving it back to Loki.  
"She is" Thor said.  
"Like you would know" Tony teased.  
"I grow up with magicians around me, and I can tell when someone is skilled" Thor informed him.  
"Let's get started" Strange said and the other stopped talking and looked at him instead. They saw different worlds pass by, like holograms. They all looked very different in both time, environment, people living there. Some was in war, others in peace. Some looked like happy places, others didn't.  
"She been to all of those?" Bruce asked and Strange just nodded.  
"She has seen a lot" Tony said and for a moment wished he could to, imagine all the knowledge he could get.  
"Found her. You want to bring her here or you to her?" Strange asked, after an search of two hours.  
"I think it's better if we go to her" Thor said and Strange nodded, grabbed them all and then they sat off.

* * *

When they arrived they were all standing on a boat, with people around them, people who looked very confused, but hostile.  
"You couldn't have warned us?" Tony said to Strange who just smiled.  
"Where would the fun be in that?" he asked.  
"Who are you?" a teenage boy with a straw hat asked.  
"Who are you?" Tony asked.  
"I am Luffy, and I will be the Pirate king!" the boy answered.  
"Don't go around and tell strangers who you are" A woman with red hair said and hit Luffy in the head.  
"But they asked" Luffy said.  
"So who are you?" a woman with black hair asked.  
"We are looking for Cara" Thor just said.  
"How do you know her?" a man with blonde hair asked in a very hostile voice.  
"She is our friend" Steve said.  
"Do you have any proof? I mean you can be anybody" Luffy said.  
"So can you!" Tony answered.  
"Start telling us who you are and we will see if she ever mention you" the woman with red hair said.  
"Fine" Tony said "We are the Avengers, or part of it, and we…"  
"You are the guys who hurt her! Or at least one of you!" Luffy interrupted him and the others looked at each other, they seemed to know Cara, she had at least told them about what happened.  
"I was the one that hurt her" Loki admitted and the strangers looked at him.  
"You never hurt a lady" the blonde man said and walked closer to Loki who took a step back and the others was on their guard.  
"You hurt our friend" Luffy said and clenched his fist and they saw how his eyes become angry. "We will never forgive you!"  
Tony looked at Loki and then the others and they all raised their weapons, prepared for what would come. Not sure what the people on the boat was capable of.

"Stop" they all looked up when Cara walked out on the upper deck, in the company of a reindeer and a man with black hair and a sword.  
"They hurt you, or he did!" Luffy said and pointed at Loki.  
"I know he did Luffy" Cara said as she walked down the stairs with the others next to her. "But that doesn't mean I want you to hurt them, or they hurt you"  
"They could try" a guy with green hair and a sword said and Cara rolled her eyes.  
"They would probably manage pretty well Zoro, or at least some of them. And I prefer not to see any of you die" she said with a smile towards them.  
"But…but…" Luffy started and Cara laughed.  
"You are really sweet who want to do this Luffy, but don't start a fight for my sake" she said and the teenager nodded.  
"Fine" he said and Cara smiled.  
"Thank you Luffy" she told him.

"Cara can I talk to you?" Loki said when they all went silent and she looked at him not sure what to say.  
"You should talk to him" the man said to her and she looked at him. "But if he hurts you again I will cut him up and drown him"  
"I am pretty sure you would be then one who drowned, so let's not try that Law" she said with a smile and Law just gave her a look before he gave her a kiss on the forehead.  
"Just say the words" he said and she rolled her eyes before she turned to the others.  
"Sanji can we borrow your kitchen?" Cara asked.  
"Of Course Cara" the blonde man answered.  
"Thank you" she said and then looked at the others. "Try not to kill each other, and instead have a nice time. I think you guys would like each other if you talked"  
"I don't think so" Luffy said and Cara smiled a sinister smile.  
"They are superheroes Luffy, really superheroes" she said and the boy looked at the Avengers with big eyes.  
"For real?" he asked and she nodded.  
"That's so cool!" Luffy said and the reindeer also seemed to be impressed.  
"That should help you. So be nice now!" she said to the Avengers as she went into the kitchen with Loki after her.

* * *

Cara started preparing some tea for her and Loki, and when she was done, she leaned against the counter, looking at him.  
"Cara…I" Loki started and she didn't know what to say so she just took a sip of her tea.  
"Cara I am sorry" Loki said and she sighed.  
"Loki I know you are, I know you would be as soon as you calmed down" she started but then stopped, she didn't know what to say to him.  
"I should never have said that to you" Loki told her and she looked at him.  
"No you shouldn't, but I understand why you did it, I know what you felt at that moment and I…" Cara stopped herself. "Forget it, you don't want to hear it"  
Loki just looked at her and she at him. She didn't know what to do. She had been hurt before, but never like this. Normally the people who hurt her were people who captured her, never her friends or people that she loved.  
"I do want to hear it. I should never had told you that I don't" Loki told her. "Even if it's awful that you do know how I feel, it helps me, I know that I am not alone in this"  
Cara slowly nodded, it was the only thing she could do at the moment.  
"I don't want to be alone in this" Loki said and looked down at his hands.  
"You aren't" she said and walked over to him and sat down. Loki did look at her.  
"After what I said, you won't leave me?" Loki asked and Cara slowly shook her head.  
"I won't. Like I said, I understand why you did it. I have done similar things, more in actions then words, what you did. And to hear you say those words hurt and I needed to get away. It was a cowards move, but I just couldn't stay there" Cara said in a low voice.  
"I wouldn't blame you if you wouldn't return at all" Loki told her and Cara laughed at this and Loki looked at her in surprised.  
"For being an old God with that much knowledge as you have, you can be really dumb" she told him. "I could never leave without coming back and try to talk to you and say goodbye, if you didn't want to see me"  
"Why?" Loki asked "Is it because you love me?"  
At those words Cara got caught off guard an almost choked on the tea.  
"Thor told me" Loki said in a low voice and Cara only nodded.  
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked and Cara smiled at him.  
"Because you weren't ready to hear that I never stopped loving you. It would have done the situation worse" she only told him and Loki looked at her.  
"You know that I lo…" he started but she stopped him.  
"Don't say it Loki! I don't want you to force it because we had a fight, or because Thor told you how I feel. Say it when you are ready" she told him and Loki looked at her.  
"But I am ready" Loki started and Cara smiled.  
"No you are not. Trust me I know that you aren't. I have done that too, said that I loved someone after things like this has happened to me, and I was far from ready, but you can't take it back. So please don't force it, wait until you are ready, and you will know when you are ready" Cara said and Loki looked really unsure at her. "I can wait if that's what worries you. I don't do this because I expect you to love me. I am helping you because you are my friend, and I would have done that no matter what"  
Loki looked at her and she saw that he cried and she pulled him into a hug.  
"How can you be this nice to me? After everything…I…no…monster" Loki's world disappeared in the sobs and Cara just hugged him tighter.  
"I know, it's alright" she said to him "And you aren't a monster"  
Loki didn't answer her and Cara didn't say anything either, they just sat there for a while until Loki calmed down.  
"Cara I am so sorry that I blamed you for getting raped, I know that it wasn't your fault" Loki almost whispered and Cara nodded.  
"I forgive you and I know that you didn't mean it. It did hurt to hear it, I am still hurt, but I will get over it, in time. And I know that you was just upset, you should never had said that otherwise." She said and Loki nodded. "And just as little as it was my fault, it was your fault that anyone raped you"  
Loki looked chocked at those words and Cara just smiled, she knew that he still didn't believed those words, but she hoped that he would get there.  
"Let's see if the others are alive"

* * *

When they got out on deck she smiled at the others, they seemed to enjoy themselves. Cara looked up when Law walked over to her.  
"Are you alright?" he asked and she smiled.  
"I am fine, no need to cut him open" she told the surgeon and Law looked at Loki. "Oh Loki this is Law. He is my partner in this world"  
Loki looked at the other man and Cara could tell that he was judging him just as much as Law was judging Loki.  
"If you ever hurt her again I will kill you" Law said and Cara rolled her eyes, this was why she never let her partners meet.  
"Not if I kill myself first" Loki answered and Cara smiled.  
"I would like to see you try Law, you can't even leave this world" she told him and laughed and Law gave her a look.  
"Can't blame a man for trying" he said.  
"No you cannot" Cara said and kissed him on the cheek before she left Law and Loki to see that talk to the others.

"Cara did you know that Franky build all this himself?" Tony asked and pointed at Franky's cyborg body.  
"No you don't say? I had no idea" Cara said sarcastically.  
"I had forgotten how funny you are" Tony said sarcastically back. "But are you doing alright?"  
"I am doing alright" she told him and Tony smiled before he went back talking with Franky.  
"Cara! Cara! Cara!" Luffy called for her and she walked over to him and the others.  
"Thor has the same powers as Enel did! He can control the thunder, and his thunder doesn't affect me either" Luffy said.  
"Well it is still thunder and you are still a rubber man, so there is no wonder there" Cara said.  
"Told you" a boy in the same age as Luffy with a long nose said.  
"You are boring Usopp!" Luffy said and Thor laughed.  
"Your friends are very entertaining" he told her.  
"That they are" Cara said and looked at them all.  
"I must ask, how did you even get here?" Cara looked at Thor.  
"Oh, Doctor Strange brought us" Thor said and pointed towards the man unfamiliar to Cara. "He searched for your magic"  
Cara nodded and walked over to the man Thor had pointed at, and the people around him.

"Hi Cara" the reindeer said.  
"Hi Chopper, Hi Robin" Cara said to the deer and the woman with black hair and then turned towards the man. "Hi, I am Cara"  
"Stephen Strange" he said and Cara nodded.  
"I guess I should thank you for bringing them all here" Cara said.  
"You guess?" Strange answered.  
"I guess. I want to know that you will not visit this world and cause any trouble once I leave?" she said.  
"You think I would?" he asked.  
"I don't know you, so I wouldn't know" Cara answered and Strange smiled.  
"I promise you that I will not cause any trouble here after you leave" Strange said.  
"Then I am thankful for you bringing them here" Cara said.  
"Cara did you know that Stephen is, or used to be a doctor too?" Chopper asked.  
"I did not. It's in fact the first time I meet this man" Cara said.  
"Really? Isn't it great to meet new friends?" Chopper said and Cara smiled.  
"It is." She said and looked around, seeing Steven with Sanji and Zoro, and she guessed they talked about fighting because they demonstrated different technics. Bruce was with Nami and the skeleton Brook ,and she had no idea what they talked about but they seemed to enjoy themselves. She hated to be the one to tell them to stop, but they lived in different worlds and they should never meet. The world was created like that, it could make so much damage if you mixed them up.

"Guys I am sorry to say that but we should go back" Cara said.  
"No don't go!" Luffy said and Cara looked at him.  
"We need to, this isn't their world" Cara said.  
"Stay for dinner at least?" Luffy said and gave her his puppy eyes and she sighed, knowing that she couldn't say no to her captain. "Woho! Sanji make the best dinner you ever have done!"  
The blond man lit a cigarette and then walked into the kitchen.  
"Thank you Cara" Luffy said and hugged her.  
"You used your puppy eyes, you know I can't say no to you then!" Cara told him.  
"You are the best!" Luffy laughed.  
"Don't let your brothers hear that!" she said as Luffy run back to Thor. Cara leaned against the rail when Loki and Law walked over to her and she smiled.  
"Seems like you guys get along alright" she said.  
"He has some interesting thoughts about the world " Law admitted.  
"And he has a lot knowledge" Loki said.  
"You guys have that? I didn't know either of you had that" she said sarcastically.  
"You are so funny" Law told her with a grin.  
"I know, you aren't the first one to tell me that" she only said before she went off to help Sanji in the kitchen, knowing how much food Luffy would want.

* * *

After dinner Cara more or less forced the others to get ready to leave.  
"It's so unfair, you got to do this all the time!" Tony said when they left the kitchen.  
"Yeah I also get to be in really annoying fights that Luffy drags you in!" she said.  
"Hey, I heard that!" Luffy told her.  
"It's only the truth!" she said and the other people in the crew agreed, even Law who wasn't a part of the crew agreed.  
"But you get to see so much!" Tony said.  
"You have only seen the fun parts, so don't wish for something you don't know anything about" Cara told him.  
"How bad can the none fun parts be?" Tony said.  
"Well war, torture, rape, killing, more war, losing people, almost dying, actually dying. Things like that" she just told him.  
"Okay, that does not sound fun. Let's go home!" Tony told her and she nodded.  
"It was fun meeting all of you! Come back soon!" Luffy said.  
"Idiot, they can't get back unless someone brings them back!" Sanji said to Luffy.  
"I know that!" Luffy said and soon they started to argue.  
"Let's leave!" Cara said and gathered the Avengers, Loki and Doctor Strange, before she turned to the crew.  
"We will miss you" Chopper said.  
"And I will miss you guys, thank you for letting me be here" she said.  
"You are always welcome here!" Usopp told her when Law walked over to her.  
"Take care of yourself now" he said and kissed her. "And come back soon.  
"I think you guys are the ones that should take care, with your ridicules dangerous plan. And I will come back soon, as long as you give me something to come back too, and not a funeral!" Cara answered and then told them all goodbye, grabbed the others and returned to their world.

* * *

When they landed in the tower again they all looked very excited over what just happened.  
"I will go and tell Clint that we just tasted food that was better than Cara's!" Tony said and then looked at her "Sorry for that"  
"Don't be! Sanji is one of them that taught me" she only said as Tony ran away.  
"I need to find Jane. Do you want us to have the kids another day?" Thor asked Loki who only nodded. "Then see you tomorrow"  
And then Thor left too.  
"Would you like something to drink Stephen?" Bruce asked and Strange nodded. "Then let's go. Are you coming?"  
Bruce looked at the others.  
"I am" Steve said and Cara just shook her head, as did Loki.  
"Then see you tomorrow" Steve said and they nodded.

"Cara I…" Loki started but didn't know what to say.  
"I am glad to be back too" she only said as the started walk towards their rooms. "Loki did everything go well with Fandral?"  
At those words Loki stopped and looked really worried.  
"I punched him, I shouldn't have done that" he said in a very low voice. "He will be mad"  
But Cara just smiled at him and Loki looked surprised at him.  
"He will be mad Loki, but I am proud of you, whatever he did you didn't let him win. And don't worry he can't touch you" Cara said and Loki nodded.  
"But I need to sleep. I still haven't healed all together and moving between words takes a lot of energy" she said and Loki looked at her.  
"Will you stay in my room?" he asked her, but he didn't look at her. Cara thought about it, she was still hurt about the words, but she knew that Loki really did regret it, and she knew that sulking wouldn't help them. She needed to try to make it feel better. And punishing Loki for it would not make her feel better, not at all.  
"I will stay at your room" she finally said and offered her hand and Loki took it and they walked towards his room.


	21. I almost lost her yesterday

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry that this chapter has taken such a long time. I have had the idea for like a week, but stuff just happened so I couldn't write it. Anyway here it is and I hope that I can write soon again, I have a plan for the next chapters as well! But you get a really long chapter this time at least, so hope you like it because I am happy with it.
> 
> So anyway, I am not a big fan of Spider-Man but I felt like he needed to be in the story and I choose to use the teenage version, hope that is okay, and its not like I am going to change it if it's not. Haha. Urhm yes I hope you people survive if he is a bit out of character.
> 
> And then we have the meeting with Fury, which is the part I am least happy with, or rather Natasha's part, but I hope you survive it.
> 
> The rest of the chapter I am so happy with, especially the parts with Loki and Loki and Cara, so hope you like the too. The part with Fandral was also fun to write.  
> But I am sorry if anyone like Sif, I do not so I am not going to use her in a nice way.
> 
> The name Fai and the other names are from a amazing manga named Tsubasa: Reservior Chronicle. It's a really nice name. I was thinking of using the name Spencer or Yuki to the cat since that is what my and my roommates cats are named. That and Loki but I could not use that. But it felt wrong to pick one of the names so I went with Fai instead.
> 
> And the story Cara is starting to telling in the end is the story from Rangers apprentice, also a amazing story.
> 
> So now I am going to stop "talking" and letting you guys read. Hope you enjoy the chapter!

Thor walked after the twins as they run to the kitchen. They had woken him up, wanting breakfast and he had looked at Jane who was asleep and he thought that it was better to bring the kids to the kitchen before they woke her up.

He was surprised that they had that much energy, it never seemed to end, but it was also kind of fun. They were very sweet and kind, so taking care of them was something he gladly did, not only for him but also for Loki. Thor was glad that he could help his brother with something, even if it was something simple as this. And he was also glad that he could be a part of his nephews lives. He had missed so much in there and the others before, so it was like he had gotten another chance.

"Mother" Narfi said.  
"Father" Váli said. And when Thor walked into the kitchen both Loki and Cara stood there, preparing breakfast and Thor smiled at them, and they gave him a strange look before Cara smiled and Loki shook his head.  
"Mother we are so glad that you come back" Narfi said and he gave her a hug and Váli walked over and did the same.  
"Come back?" Cara asked a bit surprised, not sure what they meant by that.  
"Thor said that you and father had a fight and you left" Váli said and looked at her and then Loki who looked away. Cara took his hand and then looked at Thor.  
"Thor, why did you tell them that?" she asked.  
"I didn't! I told Jane, I thought they were asleep!" Thor defended himself. "And you young boys, you should know that it's not very nice to eavesdrop on peoples conversations!"

The twins just smiled before they turned to Cara again.  
"But we are really glad that you stayed mother. We don't want you to leave" Narfi said and hugged her again.  
"No, it wouldn't feel like home without you. You are so nice to us" Váli said.  
"Yes you are, we really like you! Please never leave again" Narfi told her and Cara just looked at them and she felt her eyes become watering.  
"I am sorry" she just said before she left the room and the twins looked really sad at Thor and Loki.  
"Did we do something wrong?" Narfi asked.  
"No you didn't." Loki said and sat down and hugged his sons.  
"Then why did she leave?" Váli asked them. Loki and Thor looked at each other before they both nodded and Thor sat down on the floor too.  
"She had a daughter" Thor started and the twins looked at her. "She died, or rather got murdered when she was your age"  
"Who killed her?" Váli asked.  
"Cara's father did. Minna, that was her name, died when she tried to protect Cara" Loki answered.  
"Protect her from what?" Narfi asked.  
"That's something Cara needs to tell you when and if she feels ready for it" Thor said and the twins nodded.  
"We are sorry, we didn't know" Váli said.  
"We know you didn't and Cara do not blame you. But I think it becomes too much for her sometimes. You are really nice to her and she really likes you too, but I think it sometimes reminds her that Minna is dead" Loki explained to them.  
"Then maybe we shall stop" Narfi said and Loki smiled to them.  
"I don't think that's what you need to do. Just give her sometimes and she will feel better" Thor said and ruffled the twins hair and they smiled.  
"So breakfast?" Thor said.  
"Yes" the twins shouted and Loki brought the last of things they needed for breakfast and walked out of the kitchen and over to the table.

* * *

Cara had returned a while later and she had smiled towards them as she sat down.  
"We are sorry Cara" the twins said.  
"Don't be, it's not your fault" she told them as she took a cup of tea.  
"Are you alright?" Narfi asked and she nodded.  
"I am, thank you for asking" she answered and Loki gave her a look but she just smiled towards him. She could feel that he knew that it was a lie, but she hadn't done anything special to hide it. She had no reason to hide it from Loki, but she did not want the kids to know. Loki didn't say anything and she was grateful for that.

"Good morning" Tony suddenly said and they looked at his direction and saw how he stopped when he saw Thor before he laughed. "Like you knew hair colour big guy"  
Thor looked surprised at him and Cara snapped her fingers and a mirror appeared. Thor looked at his reflection and saw that his hair was pink and he soon heard the twins giggle before they started to laugh.  
"Come here" Thor said and stood up and started to chase them. The twins was running around and laughing and Tony laughed too, so did Cara and Loki smiled.  
"I can't understand that you fell for that again Thor" Loki said.  
"Again?" Tony asked and Loki looked at him.  
"I did that to Thor for six hundred years or so, not in pink, I think it was green then." Loki said.  
"You did something like that?" Tony said sceptical and Loki looked down as he did something wrong and Cara gave Tony a look. "Sorry reindeer games, I just have a hard time seeing you doing pranks like that."  
"He is the good of mischief after all Tony" Cara said and took Loki's hand again and he smiled a small smile at her. "But he is right Thor, you should not fall for pranks like that"  
"I was sleeping!" Thor shouted towards them and Cara raised a finger and pointed at him and soon Thor had blue hair and he stopped and looked at her.  
"You didn't sleep now, and you still fell for it" she said and the twins laughed again and Thor started chasing them again and they ran towards Cara and Loki.

"Help us" they said laughing.  
"If you have started a war you need to finish it" Cara said and Loki nodded and the twins looked at them, especially Cara and then at each other and Narfi tried to raise a finger without them seeing it. "Don't think so"  
Cara reflected the spell and then snapped her fingers and it was like something pulled the twins by the hips up in the air and soon they hang up and down. The twins looked surprised at each other before they laughed again and now even Thor laughed.  
"Perfect revenge!" Thor said and Cara smiled a mischievous smile and snapped her fingers and soon Thor hang between the twins.  
"Hey!" Thor shouted and the twins laughed and pointed at their uncle, and Loki smiled at Cara before he laughed a warm laugh and she smiled back.  
"Remember not to get on your bad side" Tony said and Cara snapped with her fingers again and he hang between the others. "Not fair, I didn't do anything!"  
"That is correct, but I felt like you could join the others" Cara only answered before she continue to eat.

* * *

Cara had been nice and let the others down on the ground a short time after she putted them there and they all eat their food when they heard a voice.  
"Tony? Tony?" a teenage boy shouted.  
"In here" Tony answered and soon a teenage boy, maybe around seventeen or so walked in.  
"Hi…" the boy started but his eyes got stuck on Loki and he just stared at him, something that made Loki lower his head. "What is he doing here? Is he controlling you?"  
"No" Tony answered as he drunk his coffee.  
"That was a stupid question, of course you would answer no if he was controlling you. But don't you worry, I will save you" the boy said and Cara saw something white fly towards Loki, so she pulled him down and stood in between what it was and Loki. And as she did she cast a spell towards the boy which made him fall to the floor.

"Ouch" the boy said and Tony laughed.  
"Told you, he is not controlling us, he is our guest. But I will not get tired of seeing peoples reaction to it" Tony said and helped the boy to his feet, while Cara had a hard time moving.  
"What is this?" did she ask and felt how sticky it was, and she did not like that she could barely move her arms and legs.  
"Oh it's spider web!" the boy said.  
"Spider web?" Cara asked and tried to break free, but instead she fell down on the floor and the twins laughed.  
"Mother looks funny" Váli said and she just shook her head.  
"Can I get it off?" she asked and tried to sit up but she was now stuck on the floor.  
"Can't you use magic?" Tony asked.  
"Well if I know that I can do that without a problem I will" she said and was asking in the same time.  
"Let put things on her" Narfi said and started to take food from the table and attaching to the web as they were laughing.  
"Oh you should be able to use magic on it without a problem. I have never tried. But it is as normal spider web" the boy said and Cara nodded.  
"No, she is trying to break free, let's hurry" Váli said and attached more stuff. Loki looked at them and laughed.  
"Thank you for your support Loki" Cara said and gave him a look but Loki just smiled and she putted her hand on the web and let the magic flow through it, and burn it of her.  
"Next time I will let you take the hit" Cara said to Loki as she stood up with a smile.

"I rather not get stuck as a spider" he said.  
"No you rather let me get stuck. So much for being the nice guy" Cara said and looked at all the food on the floor. "And you better clean it up boys!"  
The twins was about to run off when she gave them a look.  
"Yes mother" they said and started to pick up the food and Cara walked over to the table and sat down when Loki took her hand and gave her a grateful look and she smile.  
"Nothing to thank me for" she only said before she turned to the boy.

"So who are you?" she asked with a smile.  
"I am Peter Parker, Ma'am" Peter said  
"Ma'am?" Tony asked "I did not get a Sir when we first met"  
"You did not use magic on me either!" Peter said and Cara laughed.  
"You are no Sir Tony!" she said and then turned to Peter. "But please just call me Cara"  
"Cara? Well alright, nice to meet you Cara" Peter said.  
"Likewise. Do you want breakfast?" she asked and Peter nodded. "Then sit down"  
Peter sat down at the table and looked at them all.  
"So can I know why one of your enemies is eating breakfast with you? Even if it's you Tony, it's a bit strange" Peter said.  
"Even for me? Wow you are not nice to me today" Tony said.  
"Ignore him" Cara said. "If you give me some information about you I can give you the story"  
"You can? Great" Peter said and then started telling information about himself and Cara listened to the boy as he told the story on about how he got his powers, what he did, how he got to know Tony and what he wanted to do with his powers.  
"Do you think you can help me with a thing later Peter?" Cara asked.  
"What?" he asked.  
"I tell you later if you have time?" she asked and Peter nodded. And when Thor had walked to the bathroom with the twins to help them clean up themselves after cleaning up the food she then started to tell the story about how Loki got there.

When she was done, Steve and Bruce had joined them for breakfast and they had a good time. Peter had not been judging at all when he heard Loki's story. He actually thought it was cool that they had saved Loki and helped him. Loki had not looked at him at all and Cara had hold his hand, and he had given her a small smile.  
When Peter had asked a few question he had dropped it and they had starting to talk about other stuff and Cara noticed how Loki started to relax again. And soon Thor got back with the twins who started to talk with Peter and wanting to know more about his powers.

* * *

After breakfast Cara went to talk to Peter, Thor started to clean up and he actually got Tony to help him, Tony said it was because he wanted but Thor said it was because he said that Cara may hang them up and down again if they haven't cleaned up when she got back.  
Steve was just about to leave when Loki walked over to him and he was a bit surprised.  
"Hi Loki" Steve said, trying not to scare him, he still remembered what had happened the last time they was alone.  
"Hi" Loki said after a few seconds and Steve could tell that he was nervous.  
"Did you need something?" Steve asked and he also felt very nervous, but he tried not to show it, and to give Loki the time he needed. Steve thought that it must be something important since Loki never had talked to him like this before.  
"I need you help if you want to" he said in a very low voice and that made Steve very surprised, Loki needed his help?  
"Um sure, what do you need help with?" Steve asked, really wondering why he didn't ask Cara, she would always help him. Or did yesterday not go as well as he thought, was Cara maybe still mad at him?  
"I wanted to do something for Cara" Loki started and Steve stared at him in surprise. "After how I treated her yesterday. I really want to apologize"  
Loki then stopped for a second, and Steve didn't say anything, not sure what he should say.  
"I want to buy her flowers, but that means I need to leave the tower and… and I don't want to go alone" Loki almost whispered and Steve still stared at him, he never thought Loki would say something like that. It was really sweet of him and at that moment Steve understood that Cara really meant a lot to Loki.  
"Forget it" Loki said and Steve understood that he had just stared at him.  
"Wait Loki" Steve said and Loki looked at him. "I am sorry; I was just surprised. But it is no problem, I will help you. Even if I am surprised that you asked me. Why not ask Thor?"  
Loki just gave Steve a look that more or less asked if he was stupid and at that moment Steve felt stupid. He guessed Thor would be to no help at all.  
"I understand. But why not anyone of the others?" he asked and once again Loki gave him a look and Steve laughed nervously. The looks Loki gave him was closer to the Loki he had meet a few years ago, and as it was great to see him become more like himself, it was also a bit scary.

"We also want to do something for mother" the twins suddenly said, Steve and Loki looked at them. "We hurt her this morning!"  
Loki just looked at them, really unsure. And Steve understood what he thought, that Loki wasn't sure if he could protect them outside of the tower if something happened, at least not alone and Steve wasn't sure that he could either.  
"Would it feel better if Bruce joined us?" Steve asked and Loki looked at him, but he was really unsure, knowing what it meant if Bruce joined them and something happened. "We can ask Tony if it feels better?"  
"No!" Loki just said and Steve guessed that it was because Tony would not be able to not tease Loki about buying flowers, Steve just thought it was really cute. "Bruce is fine"  
"Then I go and ask him, and whenever you are ready we can leave" Steve said and walked off to find Bruce, as he left he heard Loki talk to the twins about what they should do if something happened.

* * *

As they walked down the streets the twins were pointing and looking really happy as they past things. They hold hands and always stayed close to them, and Steve was happy about that, since he didn't need to worry that they would run off, and he could focus on Loki. Or rather the older blond man walking next to them. Steve would never have known that it was Loki if he past him, which of course was the point, but Steve knew that if Loki decided to run away now, they would most likely never found him. But Loki just walked next to him, very nervously, he looked around him all the time, like he was expecting an attack any moment. Steve would not admit it or show it but it actually made him a bit nervous too. He would try to protect Loki if someone come, but seeing the god being nervous of what could come, Steve wasn't even sure if he could protect him. Bruce who walked next to the twins, talking to them seemed very calm, and he hoped he was.

"Thank you" Loki almost whispered to Steve who smiled.  
"It is no problem, I am glad that I can help" he answered and looked at the twins. "And they look really happy to be out of the tower"  
Steve was glad that the twins always seemed so happy about everything, even if they seemed to be very protective of each other, which was only natural.  
"It's unfair to force them to stay in the tower" Loki said and Steve looked at him, and even he could tell how guilty Loki felt about it.  
"I am sure they don't mind. They seem to be very happy there too, so don't you worry about it" Steve tried to comfort him.  
"I hope so" Loki only answered him looking at his sons.  
"I don't think you need to hope. They never seem to complain. I think they are really happy with their uncle, father and Cara there" Steve said and Loki slowly nodded.  
"She is great with them" Loki admitted and Steve nodded.  
"She is amazing with all of us. Living with everyone can turn all of us crazy sometimes, but she seems to handle it just fine, in fact more than fine" Steve admitted and Loki looked at him, and Steve thought that Loki looked a bit suspicious about his words, and Steve almost hit himself for doing it again. He didn't mean anything by it.  
"I just meant it as a compliment, nothing more. Don't you worry about me getting in between. I am not that kind of guy, and I have Peggy" he said and smile and Loki actually smiled.  
"No you are to noble for that captain" Loki said and Steve thought he heard a bit of mocking in Loki's voice, like he used to talk to them the first time they meet. And to hear that actually made Steve a bit happy, the old Loki wasn't a person he preferred, but to see him starting to become himself was better than the Loki he was now.

"But I almost lost her yesterday" Loki then said and Steve could hear the sorrow in his voice, and he was surprised by it. Even if he started to understand how much Cara meant to Loki, he didn't think Loki would be sorry for something like that. If Cara always saw this side, a gentle and caring Loki, Steve understood why she liked him.  
"She would never leave you" Steve told him.  
"That is very naïve of you to believe that Steve" Loki said and Steve gave him a wondering look. "Everyone can leave you if you hurt them enough!"  
Steve was about to say anything about it but then he stopped, knowing that Loki was right and he couldn't argue about it.  
"But you would never hurt her enough for her to leave you" Steve said with confidence.  
"You are giving me more credit then I deserve" Loki said. "But I hope you are right"  
"When it comes to her I don't think I do. You are actually on your way to buy her flowers" Steve said and at those words he thought he saw Loki blush for a second before it disappeared.  
"Let's just get there" Loki said and walked over to his kids and Steve smiled, never thinking he could win an argument with Loki, because he saw this as a victory. But Steve knew that it would most likely never happen again.

* * *

When they walked into the flower shop the twins started to look at all the flowers right away.  
"What about this father?" Narfi said and pointed at a big tree.  
"Or this one?" Váli said and pointed at a flower in a shoe and Loki smiled towards them.  
"They are lovely, but not what I had in mind" he answered them and the twin looked at some of the other flowers, pointing and actually dragging Bruce with them to hear his opinion. Steve smiled at Bruce who just walked with them, and telling them some facts about all of them.  
"Hello, can I help you?" a young girl asked as she walked out from the room behind. On her name tag Steve could read Melinda.  
"Yes" Loki said and the young woman smiled.  
"With what?" Melinda asked and Loki took a deep breath. Steve could tell that he felt really uncomfortable with talking to a stranger in a environment he could not control or was familiar with.  
"We want some flowers" Steve said, trying to help and the woman laughed.  
"That I could guess. Any specific type, and for what?" she asked and Steve looked at Loki, he had no idea what Loki wanted. "Is it for you two? You are a really sweet couple"  
Steve and Loki looked at each other before they turned away.  
"We aren't a couple" Steve said with a red face.  
"I am so sorry" Melinda said.  
"I would like to buy green roses if you have?" Loki asked and the girl nodded.  
"It's a unusual request but I have it. How many would you like to buy?" she asked.  
"20 I think" Loki answered and Melinda walked away to get the flowers.

"Green roses?" Steve asked and Loki looked at him and nodded.  
"Green is her favourite colour and roses is her favourite flower" Loki informed him.  
"You know that?" Steve was a bit surprised.  
"Can't you name Peggy's favourite colour and flower?" Loki asked and Steve become red again. In fact, he couldn't. "Maybe that's something you should learn"  
"Is that important to girls?" he asked and Loki gave him a look and Steve rubbed his neck. "Guess it is"  
"Here are the flowers. Do you want anything else?" Melinda said when she walked back with the bouquet.  
"Do you have a silver ribbon to tie them with?" Loki asked and Steve looked at him.  
"Her other favourite colour" Loki explained and Steve felt really stupid for not knowing Peggy's favourite colour. Loki the super evil villain knows what his… Steve guessed he should call Cara his girlfriend or something. Not so Loki would hear but still.  
"Are you happy with this?" Melinda asked and showed him the bouquet and Loki nodded. "That will be 170 dollar then"  
At that moment it hit Steve that he hadn't given Loki any money, or had any on him, but Loki handled over the money and Steve gave him a look, and Loki smiled.  
"Some habits is hard to break" he said and Steve's eyes got big, knowing that Loki meant he had stolen the money.  
"I do not approve of this" Steve told him, feeling like he schooled a kid, and Loki actually laughed at him.  
"Didn't ask for your approval" he said and took the bouquet when Melinda handled it over and then turned towards the kids and Bruce when they walked up to them.  
"They are lovely father. I think Mother will love them" Narfi said and Loki smiled.  
"Let's hope so" he said. "Do you want to give her something her as well?"  
"No, we want to give her something else!" Váli said and smiled.  
"And what may that be?" Loki asked.  
"You will see" Narfi said and smiled towards Bruce who only nodded and they all left the boutique.

* * *

At the tower Cara just left the elevator and walked towards Fandral's cell. She didn't even bother to knock as she walked in. The man was sitting on the floor looking really angry, and his temperament didn't seem to approve when she walked in.  
"So you are back?" he said with disgust.  
"I am" she said and walked over to him. "And you and I will have a talk now"  
"Oh please school me about how I was treating Loki yesterday, especially since you left him!" Fandral said and she just smiled.  
"I am not going to school you about that, or talk about my behaviour. We are going to talk about who know about Loki's situation in Asgard" she said.  
"Like I will tell you!" he answered.  
"Thought you may say that. That's why we are going to take a walk. Maybe that will get you talking" she said and casted a spell that handcuffed him and she then pulled him up on his feet. "Let's go!"

Cara had taken him to the roof and they were now standing on the edge looking down on the streets below. She was calm, smiling as she stood there next to Fandral. The wind was playing with her hair and she laughed and talked to the birds, as Fandral stood next to her, really scared when he looked down.  
"So this is how it is. You are going to tell me what I want or you will fly with the birds for a few seconds, until you don't fly anymore!" she said and smiled.  
"You are crazy!" Fandral said with almost panic in his voice.  
"Guess I have that from my father and step mother" Cara informed him and said hello to another bird.  
"I…you…don't… I…" Fandral started but then stopped and smiled, and Cara could tell that he had got an idea. "You want do it!"  
"And why is that?" she asked.  
"Because you really want the information I have, and you have stopped Thor when he wanted to kill me!" Fandral said.  
"I did stop Thor the first time, yesterday was actually Loki" she said in a calm voice.  
"Doesn't matter, you need the information I have!" Fandral smiled and actually laughed at her. "You need me!"  
"Do I know?" Cara asked, still in a calm voice that actually made Fandral stop laughing. "Let me ask you a thing? What make you so sure that you are the only one with the information I need? Can you tell me that no one else in Asgard has is it?"  
Fandral stopped smiling at those words, knowing it was true. He wasn't the only one with the information.  
"Actually I think I will look for them instead, they can't be worse than you! They may even talk, and with you out of the way, Loki will feel a bit safer" Cara said and stepped closer.  
"Don…" Fandral started when Cara pushed him out from the roof and then sat down, looking as he was falling down, screaming. Cara smiled at the look of fear in Fandral's eyes as she had pushed him.

When the screamed stopped she looked down and saw that he had landed in the net Spider-Man had put up, and the young boy was climbing up with Fandral, and she was waiting patiently.  
"Hey" Peter said when they reached the top.  
"Hey yourself" Cara answered and looked at Fandral who was really white and was shaking.  
"You really pushed him" Peter said and she nodded.  
"I am a woman of my words. But thank you for helping me catch him" she said.  
"No problem, glad to be at help" he answered and Cara nodded before she turned towards Fandral.

"Feel like talking now?" she asked.  
"You are crazy! Really Crazy" Fandral shouted at her.  
"Thought we already had established that" She just answered. "So either you talk now, or I push you out from the roof again, and this time it will not be a net!"  
"I would listen to her bro. She is really mad at you" Peter said and Fandral looked at him then at Cara. Fandral didn't seem to know what to do, he looked at the edge of the roof and then towards Cara again. He could tell that she meant it, she would push him over again, and then hunt down someone else that could help her.  
"Give me something to write on" Fandral finally said, not wanting to die.  
"See that wasn't that hard" Cara said and smiled.

* * *

"Cara!" Cara turned around to see Natasha coming out from the elevator, just as she had returned Fandral to his cell.  
"Hi" Cara said and Natasha walked over to her.  
"I was just about to talk to Fury, do you want to join me?" Natasha asked. She would manage on her own without a problem, but she had nothing against the company.  
"I would love to" Cara said and Natasha nodded.  
"Then let's go" she said with a smile.  
"You seem to be a bit too happy to do this to your boss" Cara said.  
"I am my own boss, and I know when I shall abounded a ship and move on" Natasha informed her.  
"That sounds reliable" Cara joked.  
"It keeps me alive" Natasha said and meant it.  
"The things you do to stay alive" Cara said and Natasha nodded, knowing what Cara meant. Some people, including herself could almost do anything to stay alive. And it wasn't something she was ashamed of.  
"The things you do to stay alive" Natasha repeated as they walked into Fury's cell.

"So it is your turn now? Figured that Steve would not work, so you send the spy and the wife instead!" Fury said with hate and disappointment in his voice.  
"I am not his wife, or the mother to his children" Cara said and Fury was about to say something. "But you don't believe that."  
"I do not" Fury said and Cara smiled.  
"I feel like this is going to be a fun talk" Cara said to Natasha who smiled.  
"Maybe a bit one sided" she answered.  
"Do you think that you are getting away with this Natasha?" Fury asked. "You and the rest of you? They are going to be looking for me and the others"  
"Oh that reminds me, I need to make clones of them all!" Cara said with a smile.  
"You can do that?" Natasha asked.  
"I can do anything with magic!" Cara laughed and Natasha gave her a look. "Fine not anything, but a lot, and clones are one of them!"  
"That's really handy" Natasha said.  
"It is. And I don't think anyone at this S.H.I.E.L.D. will notice." Cara said and smiled towards Fury.  
"They will notice that something is off!" he informed her.  
"Really?" Cara asked and smiled. "I do not think so"  
"First wrong answer and they will now that I have been compromised!" Fury informed her.  
"But here is the good thing, it will not give any wrong answers, because it will have your memories and act like you!" Cara said and raised her hands and they started to glow in blue and after a few minutes a copy of Fury was standing there.  
"How will it get the memories?" Natasha asked.

"This is how" Cara said and stood up. She placed one hand on the temple of the clone and the other hand on the temple of the real Fury and Natasha saw how a white glow was going from the real Fury to the copy.  
"Can't you read his mind and get some information that way?" Natasha asked.  
"Sadly mindreading isn't something I mastered, something my father was really unhappy with. I only learned to stop people from reading my mind, and that was all that mattered to me." She said.  
"Is there no other way to do it?" Natasha asked.  
"Well if I had a pensieve, which is a magical object where you put memories and can watch them. But I do not own one and I can't get one from the ministry of magic, because they really don't like me" Cara said with a laugh.  
"Ministry of magic? There is no such thing" Fury said and Cara raised an eyebrow.  
"And you should be an agency that keep track of things" she said. "I can let you in on a secret, since you aren't leaving this room for a while, that and that I don't care about the magic world anymore. There is ministry of magic in almost every country in the world."  
Cara then backed away when she was done.  
"And can't we ask the copy of Fury for answers?" Natasha asked.  
"Won't work. He is going to act just like this Fury. But the difference is that I can see through his eyes, since it's my magic, so if Odin does talk to him again, I will know" Cara said and sat down. "But who knows how long that will take. So it would be easier to make the real Fury talk. But it looks like I took over your interrogation Natasha. I do apologise for that"  
"It was fine." She said and then turned to Fury. "As you will most likely be here for a long time it would help you to talk, to tell us more about Odin"

"Why do you want to know? What do you get out of this?" Fury asked Natasha.  
"Me? I get to be free from you actually. And I that is all that matters right now" Natasha said and Fury looked at her.  
"You will not be free!" he said and Natasha just smiled.  
"Anyway if I was you I should think about my options. Odin is not one of them." Natasha said.  
"And why is that? Are you going to help Loki take over Asgard and then earth?" Fury said.  
"You really think that low off me, don't answer that" Natasha said and stood up. "And it's not Loki who will take over Asgard"  
"Then who, her?" Fury said and pointed at Cara.  
"Oh I was queen of Asgard a short period when Loki was king. It was not something I liked, so I will not sit on the throne. No Asgard has a far better queen to do that job" Cara said and walked towards the door with Natasha and the clone of Fury.  
"Tell Jarvis when you feel like talking" Natasha said and they left the room.

"Isn't this Fury going to tell where the real Fury is?" Natasha asked and looked at the clone.  
"I never gave him that memory, he will not remember this either. He will think that he was away on a mission with the others. And that reminds me that I need to make a clone of them too" Cara said.  
"Then let's go. Maybe they will tell us something" Natasha said.  
"You are very hopeful" Cara said with a look.  
"You can't blame me for trying" she said with a smile.  
"No I cannot" Cara answered as they walked to Hill's cell.

* * *

When they had visited the other twos cells and made clones of them, without getting any information from them they had sent the clones on their way. After that they had returned to the common room and Cara smiled when she saw Thor.  
"Here" she said and handed over the paper from Fandral.  
"What is this?" Thor asked.  
"It's a list of all the people Fandral know touched Loki, and the people who know what was going on, but didn't touch him" Cara explained and Thor looked through the list and stopped at Sif's name.  
"She did know?" he asked in a sad voice.  
"I am sorry" Cara said, knowing who Thor was thinking off. Cara did not like the other woman, and Sif did not like her either. But Cara knew that Sif was a close friend to Thor.

"I need to give the list to mother, and I need to talk to Sif" Thor said.  
"I wish you the best, but be careful Thor, if the information gets out that you knew about Loki, we may have bigger problems then friends betraying us" Cara said and Thor nodded.  
"I will be careful" Thor said as he walked towards the roof but then stopped. "I almost forgot. Loki is in the dining with the twins, and I think he need some help. Last time I looked the dining room looked like a warzone. It was paint everywhere, and Narfi had turned almost all the furniture to animals"  
Cara looked at him.  
"Thank you for telling me, best that I get over there before they destroy the room" she said and walked towards the dining room.

* * *

Cara was expecting to see paint everywhere, a destroyed table and other things, and even that something would have exploded, but when she got there she stopped in surprise. She just stared at the dining room and blinked, thinking that she was dreaming.

The dining room was lit with hundreds of candles, the table was set and the food placed on it smelled heavenly, and it made her realise how hungry she was. In the background, her favourite music was playing, music that always made her relax. And she could see the stars on the celling. She didn't understand what was going on, so she just stood there looking really stupid.

"Mother" the twins said and was running towards her and Cara turned around and faced them.  
"Hi" she said a bit surprised, as they hugged her legs and she kneeled down so she could give them a real hug.  
"Do you like it?" Narfi asked and looked over the room and Cara looked too before she returned with her gaze at them.  
"You did this?" she asked, still surprised, she was really not following.  
"We did, and father. And the others helped too" Váli said and she looked at him. "But it was all fathers idea"  
"It was?" Cara asked, still surprised, not sure why Loki would do something like that.  
"I hope you like it" Loki suddenly said as he walked into the room and she looked at him, or rather stared at him. She didn't mean to, not at all, but as he walked towards her in a suit that fit him very well and a bouquet of green roses she could do nothing else but stare. She slowly stood up and she still didn't say anything, she was caught so off guard that she didn't know what to say.

"She don't like it" Narfi said in a sad voice and Cara looked at him and forced a smile.  
"I do, I really do. I just don't get why?" she said.  
"I wanted to apologise for yesterday" Loki told her and she gave him a puzzled look.  
"But you didn't need too." She only said and looked around in the room.  
"I felt like I needed too" Loki told her and she looked back towards him.  
"I don't want you to feel like you need to do stuff for me" she informed him. She really didn't want him to feel like that.  
"I don't feel like I need to do stuff for you, I did it because I wanted" Loki told her and walked closer to her. "I am really sorry if you don't like it, I thought you would"  
Cara shook her head.  
"I really do like it. I am just shocked and I don't know. I feel like it is too much" she said.  
"But we hurt you!" Váli said and she tilted her head and wasn't sure what he meant. "This morning"  
"Oh" she said and sat down again so she could look the twins in the eyes. "I don't want you to feel bad for that. You did nothing wrong, and you did not hurt me"  
Cara hugged the twins.  
"We didn't mean to force you to take care of us" Narfi said and those words hurt to hear.  
"You did not force me, never think that" Cara said to them and hugged them again before she stood up again and looked at Loki before she started to cry.

"I am so sorry" she said, not really wanting to cry and Loki put down the flowers on the table and walked over and hugged her.  
"Why are you apologizing?" he asked her and laughed and she could not answer.  
"Don't be sad mother" the twins said and those words made Cara laugh.  
"I am not sad, I am happy. It is just too much, I…" she could not finish the sentence.  
"Does that mean we can't give you your gift?" Váli asked and Cara looked at them.  
"You got me gifts too?" she asked.  
"We did!" Narfi said with a big smile. "Ours is better than fathers too! He only got your flowers"  
"Yes, ours is so much better" Váli said and laughed as the twins ran away to get something and Cara looked at Loki.

"Are you alright?" Loki asked and she leaned against his chest.  
"I am alright. I just don't know. It is so much and I wasn't prepared for it" she said.  
"I wanted it to be a surprise" Loki said and Cara laughed.  
"Well you managed to do that" she answered.  
"I am just glad that Natasha could keep you occupied while the rest of us did this" Loki said and Cara laughed again.  
"I did not understand that it was what she was doing, she is good" Cara admitted and Loki nodded.  
"Cara I am really sorry for yesterday!" Loki said in a low voice as he rested chin on her head.  
"I know you are Loki" she said. "But you still didn't need to do all this"  
"I wanted to show how much I appreciate everything you do for me" he told her.  
"I am just glad that I can be here for you, but thank you for doing this" Cara answered him and she really meant it. She was glad that she could be there for him. And she loved what he had done. People rarely did things like this for her.  
"And Cara, I promise to never hurt you again" Loki told her and at those words Cara met his eyes and she smiled a lovely smile towards him.  
"Thank you Loki" she answered him, knowing that he meant it. She took his hands and smiled towards him and Loki smiled back, and they just stood there looking at each other for a few seconds before the twins got back.

"Mother!" they said again and she turned to them and saw that they was holding a Siberian kitten in their arms and she smiled.  
"Is this for me?" she asked and they nodded.  
"He is!" Narfi said and handled him over.  
"Do you like him?" Váli asked.  
"I love him. Thank you so much" Cara said and gave both of them a hug. "Does he has a name?"  
"No, you can name him" Narfi said and Cara thought about it and then smiled.  
"I will name him Fai" she said.  
"That is a really nice name" Váli said.  
"It is. I had a friend who had that name years ago, before he passed away, and he was called big cat" she told them.  
"Why?" Narfi asked.  
"Because they were a family of four. It was Fai the big cat, and his boyfriend Kurogane who was big dog, and the kids Syaron, little dog and Sakuara little cat" she told them "But that's another story"  
"They are just like us, a family" Váli said and Cara smiled towards them.  
"Yes" she only said, trying not to cry again. "But does this little fellow have a home?"  
"Yes we have given him a home in your room" Narfi said and Cara smiled.  
"Will you bring him back there? Kittens need a lot of sleep and peace and quiet" she said and the twins nodded and she gave them Fai and they ran off again and Cara stood up with a smile.

"They were very happy when they thought of the present" Loki said and Cara smiled.  
"It was a lovely present, just like the flowers and the rest of them. You remembered what things I like" she said and Loki smiled.  
"You thought I had forgotten?" he asked and she shook her head.  
"No I did not, but you have had other things to think of" she just said, not wanting to make Loki think of it.  
"That is true, but that does not mean I forget things about you" he said and blushed slightly and Cara smiled and then looked at his clothes again.  
"I feel like I am a bit underdressed" she said and looked down at her trousers and top tank.  
"Doesn't matter, you still look beautiful" Loki told her and Cara blushed this time.  
"Thank you." She said and hugged him. "But I think I will change to something more fitting"  
At those words Cara snapped with her fingers and her clothes become a black dress instead.  
"You are beautiful in anything" Loki said and Cara laughed.  
"I had almost forgotten how much of a charmer you can be" she said and Loki gave her a look. "I said almost"  
At those words Loki laughed and the twins come back.

"Can we eat now?" they asked and looked at them.  
"As soon as I have put the flowers in a vase" she said and walked towards the kitchen and when she walked in she almost walked into Steve who was standing there with the others. They all smiled at her and it actually made her a bit uncomfortable.  
"So?" Tony said almost jumping up and down.  
"So?" she asked and reached for a vase.  
"Did you forgive him?" Clint asked excited and she turned with a smile.  
"I did forgive him yesterday" she told them.  
"With all this you have to forgive hi…" Tony said and then stopped "You did? So all this was for nothing?"  
At those words Cara laughed.  
"It was not. I loved it, even if they and you didn't need to do this" she said.  
"It was all Loki's idea. We just helped him with some small things" Steve said and she smiled.  
"Thank you for helping him" she said. "I am glad that you did, I am really glad that you are nice to him"  
"You care more about that then that what we did?" Clint said and she nodded.  
"That all that matters for me. If you had only helped him collect rocks I would have been happy, because you are there for him" Cara said and then took the vase and walked towards the door back to the dining room. "But you did more than I could ever ask for, so really thank you."  
"You are welcome. And we leave you alone for tonight" Tony said and Cara nodded and walked back to the others.

"So can we eat now?" the twins asked again and Cara put down the vase and nodded.  
"We can" she said and sat down next to Loki who smiled towards her as did the twins before they took some food.  
"Here try this!" Narfi said and handed over a pie to her. "We made it"  
Cara smiled and took a piece of the pie and smiled.  
"You did great" she said after tasting it and the twins smiled wide.  
"Did you hear father?" Váli asked and Loki laughed.  
"Yes I did, we are in the same room" Loki answered and the twins laughed too and Cara got a warm feeling, it was like having a family again. Even if she had different partners in different worlds, and she loved them, it wasn't like a whole family. She missed having kids, even if Narfi and Váli wasn't her biological kids, and she would never want to have a biological kid again, afraid of losing it, she could still enjoy to feel like a mother. Cara turned towards Loki when she felt like he was watching her.  
"Is something wrong?" she asked.  
"I am just glad to see you this happy" Loki said and kissed her forehead and she stared at him and he let go of her as he did something wrong.  
"I am sorry" he said and she took his hand.  
"You have nothing to be sorry for. I will not be mad at you for doing things like this" she told him, knowing that he was most likely punished for doing things like that. When you were a prisoner you often tried to play along and do what you thought that the people hurting you wanted, sometimes it worked. But Cara guessed it hadn't worked since Loki reacted like he did.  
"You mean it?" Loki asked in a low voice and she smiled.  
"I mean it. I am more than okay with it Loki, but take it at your own time, like I said yesterday I can wait" Cara told him and Loki smiled back.  
"Thank you" he answered her and she nodded.  
"Nothing to thank me for" she answered and then turned to the twins when they giggled.  
"And what are you giggling at, young men?" Cara asked giving them a curious look.  
"You just look so happy together" Narfi said with a big smile.  
"More than father ever did with our real mother" Váli said and Cara looked shocked at Loki who just shrugged his shoulders and Cara smiled towards him before she turned to the twins.  
"That makes me happy to hear" she said and the twins nodded.  
"It makes us happy to see. We want you to be happy!" Narfi said and Cara was once again overwhelmed and surprised over how kind the twins was.  
"And we want you to be happy too" Cara told them and Loki nodded.  
"We are happy when we are here, with you. So please never leave again mother" Váli told her.  
"I will never leave you again" Cara said and smiled towards all of them.  
"Good because we will not let you!" Narfi said and Cara laughed.  
"Is that right? Well then I better not try" she said and the twins nodded and continue to eat again and Cara looked around the room once more.  
"Thank you for all this. It really means a lot to me" she said to them with a big smile and the twins smiled towards her and Loki hugged her.  
"Mother can you tell us a story about one of the other worlds you have been in?" Narfi asked and Cara looked at them and smiled.  
"I can do that. This is a story about a land called Araluen and a man named Halt and his apprentice Will…" Cara started.


	22. Trust is something you earn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the next chapter. It took me forever to write it, but I felt like the words couldn't work with me. Nothing become good enough, but this was the best I could do. But I must say that I am kind of happy with the chapter anyway.
> 
> And well I am sorry for Sif, I have a plan with her, but I don't want her to be in the story as a nice person. And well there fight will make things complicated. And yeah they have a kid in the mythology, so I had to mention that she is the mother. But I do not want them together, so thats why I said they did not work out. So well Thor's kids are all grownup so it was hundreds of years, when they still was young. He has the other kids with a other woman, not sure if I will bring her into the story or not so do not wait for her.
> 
> Anyway I know that Sif, Volstagg and Hogun are out of character but I hope you survive.
> 
> And I also know that the unbreakable vow is from Harry Potter and it doesn't work like it did here. You need to have a wand, but well Cara doesn't use one so I just worked it without it. And its really that one of the person holding hands that say the vow and the other one agreeing, but well Cara is the only one that can do it so I just did it like this.
> 
> And I think that was everything you needed to know. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy the chapter :)

As soon as Thor had arrived in Asgard, he walked to his mother's room. Needing to talk to her first. And the people he met all smiled towards him and talked him, but unlike before he could not find the joy in it. He could only think of Loki, and which of them that knew about his situation and which ones that had touched him. Thor felt sick over knowing that the people he had loved had treated his brother like that. And the worst part for him was that he wasn't sure who else then the people that Fandral had named, know about Loki. It could be anyone and it made Thor think less of them all.

* * *

When he got to Frigga's room, he almost rushed through the door, forgetting to knock. Frigga who had been reading looked up at her oldest and Thor gave her an apologising look.  
"Thor are you alright?" Frigga asked as she stood up and walked over to him.  
"No I am not. I don't know who I can trust, I see enemies where they may not be. But even if they are smiling towards me, and are as nice as ever I can only wonder if any of them touched Loki" Thor said and Frigga took his hands.  
"I understand you Thor, I do the same. But we need to try not to judge them without evidence" she said and Thor nodded and handled over the list.  
"Cara got Fandral to name the people he knew off" Thor said.  
"Do I want to know how she did it?" Frigga asked and Thor shrugged his shoulders.  
"I don't know how, and I didn't ask" Thor answered and Frigga nodded.  
"This is of big help" she looked at the list. "Now we can start to find the guilty, and try to figure out which ones we can trust."

"Apparently no one" Thor said in a bitter voice and Frigga gave him an wondering look and he just pointed towards the list and Frigga gave him a sorrowful look.  
"I am so sorry love" she said and hugged him.  
"So am I. I was really looking forward to have her at the wedding, but I will not invite her! I prefer to have Loki there" Thor said.  
"It's lovely to see you standing up for your brother like that. But be careful with what you do about Sif" Frigga said and Thor smiled, Cara had said something similar.  
"Mother do you have a plan on how we are going to do this?" Thor asked and looked at the list, hoping Frigga would understand. And as the wise woman she was she did understand her oldest without a problem.  
"Not yet. But we need to find friends who can assist us, because some of this people are powerful. There is even royalty and ambassadors from other realms, and we cannot stand alone in this." Frigga told Thor.  
"I hope we can find some friends, we will need it" Thor said.  
"I will see what I can do about that. Your father isn't the only one with contacts" Frigga said and Thor nodded.  
"Keep me updated" he said before he excused himself and left his mother's room.

* * *

"Thor" Volstagg called out for him as he passed the dining room. Thor walked in, very unsure, he needed to talk to Sif, but he did not want to do it in front of the others. But when he walked in it was only Volstagg and Hogun there. Thor looked at them but he did not smile a usual, he just looked at them, hoping that his other two friends wasn't involved in anything connected to Loki. He had already lost two friends, and he did not want to lose two more.  
"What is wrong my friend?" Volstagg asked as Thor got closer.  
"I need to talk to Sif" Thor said. "Have you seen her?"  
"Last I saw her she was out in the garden, not sure if she is still there" Volstagg said as he kept eating.  
"Thank you" Thor said and left the others.

* * *

Thor did found Sif in the garden, she was practicing and Thor just stood there watching her for a moment. He felt like crying, and that was really unusual for him. But knowing that his best friend, the mother of his only daughter, knew about his brother and didn't do anything, he could not handle it. Sif was one of the few people he really had trusted, she had been his first love, and even if they had a daughter together they hadn't worked out as a couple. But he had still always loved her as one of his closest friends, and to just realise that he didn't know her at all. Thor didn't know how to handle this; he was no good at this. He could fight almost anyone, he threw himself into battle without thinking, but this was different, he knew he couldn't fight Sif that way. He had never thought it would come to this. Sif had been there for him for so many years, and her betrayal hurt more then Fandrals.

"Thor?" Sif's voice made him look at her and she smiled and walked over. "I am glad to see you again. You have visited earth so often lately that I have barely seen you."  
Thor just stared at her at first, not sure what to say or do, and Sif seemed to know that something was wrong.  
"What is wrong Thor? You know that you can trust to me, if something is wrong, just tell me" she said with a smile and Thor looked at her before he walked past her, to stand in front of the pond, looking down at his reflections.  
"But can I really trust you Sif?" Thor asked without looking at her.  
"What silly question is that?" she asked and Thor didn't answer her at first.  
"I thought I could trust Fandral…" Thor started but then become silent when Sif actually gasped.  
"I knew this day would come" she said and walked up next to Thor who didn't say anything. "How did you figure out?"  
"Fandral told me after Mother told me that Loki had escaped" Thor just said.  
"Where is he?" Sif asked and Thor shrugged his shoulders.  
"I don't know. Told him that I don't want to see him again" Thor lied, hoping Sif would believe him. Thor was no good at lying but Sif seemed to believe it, thinking that would be a reasonable reaction from Thor.  
"Thor I am sorry" Sif said and Thor looked at her this time.  
"You don't mean that Sif!" Thor told her and she shrugged her shoulders this time.  
"I…I am not sorry about Loki, but I am sorry that you figured it out" she said honestly and those words shocked Thor and he actually stepped away from her. It felt like someone stabbed his heart. The woman he had loved for so many years, said the words he never thought she would say.  
"He is my brother Sif!" Thor said.  
"No he is not! And he is a monster. I am sorry Thor, but you should have known that I never liked him. I have accepted him for your sake, that is true. You are my best friend and I would do anything for you, but after he tried to kill you, all of us, then fled to earth and got captured I didn't need to pretend anymore. We all saw the monster he was. And now when he has escaped, who knows what he will do" Sif said and Thor could not believe what he heard. How could he have been so blind? He thought his friends liked Loki, or at least not hated him. But hearing Sif say that he got really hurt. And he understood how Loki must have felt when they hanged out. Loki being the smart one of them must have seen it. No wonder he didn't want to do things with him when he became older.  
"He is my brother Sif and I love him! How can you even say those things?" Thor asked.  
"I am sorry Thor, but I am just honest. And I… I am sorry to tell you this. But I can't pretend to like him, not now when you knew about what Fandral did" she said.  
"Did you really hate him enough not to stop Fandral?" Thor asked and Sif looked away and Thor took that as a yes. "I can't do this"  
Thor turned around and started leaving when Sif ran up to him and stopped him.  
"Don't do this Thor. I am sorry" she said to him. "But don't let Loki come between us. It has always been you and me!"  
"He didn't, you did. If it had been someone else I care about I would have reacted the same. It was your decision not to tell me that made me feel like this. If you had told me then I would have forgiven you. Maybe I could even have saved Loki, and he wouldn't have fled again. Who knows what he is now or what he will do now. He must be alone and scared somewhere" Thor said in a sorrowful voice. It wasn't hard to sounds sad, because he got down when he thought about what happened to Loki and how he was when they first found him.  
"Thor I…" Sif started but Thor stopped him.  
"I do not wish to hear about it. I don't want to see you again" Thor said and left Sif in the garden as she called out his name.

* * *

Thor got back to the room where Volstagg and Hogun was.  
"You look even worse my friend" Hogun said and Thor looked at them.  
"I need to return to earth" Thor only said but this time Volstagg stood up and walked over to Thor.  
"No you need to talk to us first. Something is wrong, even I can tell" Volstagg said with a laugh but stopped when none of the other laughed. "Anyway, we are your friends, and we are here for you"  
Thor sighed.  
"Please don't use those words" Thor said and the other two looked surprised at each other.  
"But it is true" Volstagg said.  
"I do not wish to hear them!" Thor almost shouted at them and sat down on the couch.  
"Thor?" Hogun asked as the other two also sat down.  
The God of Thunder didn't say anything, he didn't want to tell the other two too much, not knowing on which side they are on or how they felt about Loki. At this moment Thor wished he had his mother or Cara with him, they saw things he didn't see.  
"Thor what is going on?" Volstagg asked and Thor sighed again.  
"I can't tell you" Thor only said.  
"That is ridicules, you can tell us everything Thor, like you always has" Volstagg said.  
"There is traitors in Asgard, therefor I cannot tell you anything" Thor told them, hoping they would either back down or revile themselves somehow.  
"And you think we are two of them?" Volstagg asked before he started laugh. "That is ridicules Thor!"  
"Is it?" Thor only said and stood up.  
"It is" Hogun said.

"Let us prove it to you somehow" Volstagg said and Thor thought about it. If they could prove that they weren't traitors he could get two allied in Asgard, and if they were traitors he could take care of them somehow. Thor just needed to figure out a way to do it, then he smiled, there may be a way to do that.  
"Then let's go to Midgard" Thor only said.

* * *

"You want me to do what?" Cara asked and looked between Thor, Volstagg and Hogun. The last two had been very surprised to see her, but they hadn't said anything.  
"I want you to tell me if they are traitors, if you understand what I mean?" Thor said, he tried to be subtle with it, not wanting to tell the others two too much if they was traitors.  
"Even a child would understand what you meant Thor" Cara said and then looked at him. "But I can't tell you if they are traitors or not"  
"Why not? Can't you just use some magic?" Thor asked and she sighed.  
"It doesn't work like that." She told him.  
"But you always read people" Thor said and she laughed this time.  
"I do, but it has nothing to do with magic Thor, it's because I am good at reading people. But it's not like you can place a person in front of me and I can tell you everything about them, I am not Sherlock Holmes" she said.  
"Who?" Thor asked.  
"Never mind. But I can't help you here" she said and looked at the other men who had stood very quiet during the conversation. Cara wasn't sure what she thought about them, she did not hate them like Fandral or Sif, who had either wanted Loki or hated him. This two more felt like they didn't care about Loki, for better or worse.

"Then who do I tell?" Thor asked and then looked at her. "Can I ask him?"  
Cara just gave him a look that asked if he was stupid.  
"But I need to know!" Thor almost shouted at her.  
"I know that you need to know, but making me deaf will not help you" Cara told him and gave him a schooling look, which actually made the other two laugh until Cara gave them a look too. "But you know that they wasn't on the list Thor"  
"I know that, but he only wrote down the ones he knew off" Thor said.  
"And you think he wouldn't know about them?" Cara asked and Thor looked at his friends, or the ones he hopped was his friends.  
"I think he would, but I want to be sure" Thor told her and she smiled.  
"I understand you, but like I said I cannot help you here" Cara said and Thor didn't know what to do.

"Mother" Cara turned around when the twins come running through the room, a bit surprised seeing them disguised, but she guessed that was Loki's doing.  
"Hi" Cara said to them when they stopped in front of her.  
"You said we should have training" Narfi said and she nodded.  
"I did. Just give me a minute, to finish here with Thor" she said.  
"Here" Váli said and Cara looked at the note he gave her, she was a bit puzzled before she saw that it was Loki's handwriting and she smiled and turned to Thor.  
"I think this information is better for you then for me" she said and Thor read it.  
"So they didn't touch him" Thor said with a big smile.  
"Looks like it. But that does not mean they couldn't have known, even if I doubt it" she said and turned towards the twins.  
"So what do I do?" Thor asked and Cara laughed.  
"And to almost think that you become king of Asgard. I can't give you all the answers, especially not when I don't have them" she told him and Thor nodded.  
"So let's go" Cara said to the twins and took their hands and walked towards the elevator.

* * *

Thor turned around to Volstagg and Hogun who looked at him.  
"That was Cara" Volstagg said questioning.  
"It was" he only answered and started walking back and forth.  
"Thor what is going on?" Volstagg asked.  
"It's a long story, and trust me when I want to tell you" Thor said without looking at them. "I know that you weren't like Fandral, but I must know that you aren't like Sif"  
"Fandral and Sif? What did they do?" Volstagg asked.  
"Different things, but things I cannot forgive them fore" Thor only said. This was hard, he didn't know how to figure this out, not at all. He had really thought that Cara could help him, but now when she couldn't he did not know what to do. He needed to know so he knew if he could put them in the same room as Loki.  
"Okay Thor, we cannot help you or solve this if you don't talk to us!" Volstagg said and Thor sighed.  
"I wish I could" Thor said and stopped as he looked out of the window and the other two looked at each other.

"What did they do towards Loki?" Hogun asked and Thor turned around, looking surprised at him.  
"How did you…" Thor started.  
"Know?" Hogun asked. "I didn't, not until you confirmed it right now. But seeing Cara here, it most likely had something to do with your brother."  
"They did things he did not deserved" Thor said in a bitter voice.  
"Who did them? Fandral and Sif?" Volstagg asked and Thor felt like he wanted to tell them everything, but he did not want them to return to his father and tell him anything. Did he do wrong if he just believed them? Did he do wrong if he didn't believe them?  
"Not only the two of them" Thor told them.  
"Is that why you say there are traitors in Asgard?" Hogun asked. "You don't know who they are"  
"Not all of them" Thor admitted.  
"Do you really think we are traitors my friends?" Volstagg asked.  
"I don't want to think you are, but I didn't think Fandral or Sif was it either" Thor said to them and they nodded.  
"I guess there is no way of solving this" Volstagg said.  
"I don't know." Thor didn't look at him when he said it. He wanted to find a way, he didn't want to lose all off his friends, but he wanted to protect Loki. But then he thought that he could tell them something, they already know somethings. And telling what he knew happened to Loki couldn't hurt. It wasn't like Odin didn't know that already. As long as he told it like Fandral only had told him this when he was drunk, after Loki disappeared. And the twin had been disguised, they would not know that there was Loki's children. The only thing that may give it away was Cara, but he could always say that she was friends with one of the others Avengers. Thor knew that this was a risky, and a very bad plan, but he couldn't think of anything else.  
"I will tell you some of the things I know" Thor said and the other two nodded and Thor started to tell them what Fandral had said.

* * *

When Thor was finished the other two hadn't said a word.  
"I need a drink" Volstagg said and Thor nodded and walked over to the bar Tony had and grabbed a bottle and returned to his friend. Volstagg took the bottle and started to drink and didn't stop until the bottle was empty.  
"I never thought Fandral could do something like that" Volstagg said and Thor could hear the anger in his voice.  
"And Sif know" Hogun said and Thor nodded.  
"And Odin? Did he really allow it?" Volstagg asked and Thor nodded again.  
"But why?" Hogun asked and towards that Thor wasn't sure what to say, because he wasn't sure.  
"I don't know" Thor finally answered.

"So what are you going to do now? Are you going to try to find him" Volstagg asked and Thor rubbed his neck and avoided there looks.  
"Kind of already did" Thor admitted, he really wished it was the right thing to tell them.  
"You did? How?" Hogun asked.  
"I kind of was the one that helped him escape, me and Cara" Thor said and the other two looked at each other before they laughed.  
"You; Thor Odinson, doing something like that, never thought you would" Volstagg said and Thor shrugged his shoulders.  
"So he is here?" Hogun asked and Thor nodded. "How is he doing?"  
At those words Thor got shocked, never thought they would ask something like that.  
"He is…well doing better. Cara helps him a lot, and getting the twins back seemed to have helped a lot" Thor said.  
"The twins was his?" Volstagg asked and Thor nodded. "I didn't recognize them"  
"I think that's was the plan Volstagg" Hogun said and Volstagg smiled.  
"But Thor I must ask, why tell us this at all? Even if you don't think we was traitors, why tell us at all?" Volstagg asked and Thor smiled.  
"I am getting married. And I want Loki to be my best man, but I want to be sure who I can trust enough to invite" Thor said.  
"Congratulations brother" Volstagg said and stood up and hugged Thor, just like Hogun did.  
"So do you want to come at the wedding?" Thor asked.  
"Does that mean you trust us?" Hogun asked.  
"I do, and I hope it's the right thing to do. I would really love if you were there" Thor said.  
"Then we are there" Volstagg said and Thor smiled the biggest smile.

"And Thor we will try to help you protect Loki" Hogun said and at those words Thor actually started to cry.  
"I am sorry" he said a bit ashamed but his friends just hugged him, understanding that it meant a lot for Thor to hear that, especially after what Sif and Fandral did.  
"But you know that it means we are going up against Odin, your king!" Thor told them in a low voice.  
"We do" Hogun said.  
"And he may be our king, but you are our friend, and that's more important" Volstagg said.  
"Thank you my friends" Thor said and hugged them. They still had a long way to go before they could take on Odin, but at least he had two friends he could count on.  
"Let's tell Loki, I am sure he will be happy to hear that there is people who will help him" Thor said and walked towards the elevator with the others.

* * *

When they got to the training grounds they saw that the others were there too.  
"Hi big guy" Tony said as they walked closer.  
"What are they doing?" Thor asked and looked at Loki and Cara who was circling around each other.  
"They are practising close combat" Steve said and Thor was surprised.  
"Is that really a good idea?" he asked.  
"It was Loki's idea, and don't worry she is really holding back" Clint informed him and Thor looked at Cara.  
"She is?" Thor asked.  
"She is, not like she fought you and won" Tony teased and that made Volstagg laugh again. "I like him already!"

Thor didn't answer, instead he sat down with the others and studied Cara and Loki when the twins walked over towards him and both sat down in his lap.  
"Hi" they said and Thor smiled at them.  
"Hi" he answered.  
"Who do you think will win?" Narfi asked and Thor shrugged his shoulders.  
"I don't know. Who do you think will win?" he asked.  
"I think Mother will win, but Váli think Father will win" Narfi said and Thor nodded. At least they believed in both of them.  
"did you have a nice time with them yesterday?" Thor asked and both twin nodded.  
"We did, but please be quite now, we want to watch" Narfi said and Thor looked at him in surprise while Tony and Volstagg laughed.

* * *

Cara had noticed the others walk in and starting to watch them, but Loki didn't he was concentrated on the fight. Cara knew that if he was himself he would have noticed but she guessed he was really nervous about the fight. She had been happy that he wanted to take this step himself, but she was also very careful with what she did. She knew that every move in a fight could wake old memories and she didn't want to do that. But she also wanted Loki to become stronger again.

Cara had her eyes on Loki, and she more watched his reactions to the things she did rather then watch to see what he would do. As they circled around each other, more like in a dance then a combat fight she was impressed. Even if Loki was still weaker than normally, he did good. She knew that she would had bigger trouble if he was back to himself but he was still weaker and slower than her. When they had fight years ago, he was always a bit stronger than her, but she was a bit faster, not by much but fast enough to take advantage of it. They were both very agile and she loved that. According to her it made the fight so much more fun, and that they fought so similar also made it a challenge and more fun.

She blocked Loki's blows with ease, but she was very careful with hitting back, especially with force, so she mostly focused on avoiding him. Which she thought was better because he would not get hurt, and he would focus on getting better on attacking. When he was better at that she could start practising attacks with him, but she felt that he needed to feel better for that. She have had friends who had started training attacks with her right away, and that had made it worst and scared her a lot, so she wanted to avoid that.  
Cara dodge when she saw Loki's kick and did a somersault to avoid him and when she landed on her feet again she was prepared for another hit but instead she saw how Loki had stopped. Cara looked at him and she saw that he was looking at the others, and he did not feel comfortable with them looking at him.  
"Guys" Cara said and looked at them and they all got up and hurried away, except Thor, his friends and the twins. Cara walked over to Loki. "Are you alright?"  
Loki looked at her and shook his head and she took his hand.  
"Let's walk for a bit" she said and looked over at Thor and then the twins and Thor nodded and started talking with them.

* * *

Cara walked around on the training ground with Loki next to her. She didn't say anything as they walked, she just gave him time to feel better. After awhile Loki stopped and she looked at him.  
"I can't handle them looking at me" he said and she nodded. "It feels like I am an animal in a cage again"  
Cara gave him a comforting smile.  
"I know the feeling, but they do not want to harm you" she said.  
"I am aware of that" Loki admitted and she smiled again, glad he thought that. "I shouldn't but I am starting to trust them"  
"Trust is a hard thing, I know that too. But if you feel like someone deserves your trust give it to them slowly. But always be prepared to back out" she said. It didn't sound to hopeful she knew, but she wanted to be honest. She didn't want him to trust to blindly, wanting him to be safe.  
"Can I trust them?" he asked and Cara smiled.  
"I can't tell you that. Trust is something you earn, and only you can tell when you trust someone. But I can tell you that they are good people" she said.  
"Do you trust them?" Loki asked and at those words she stopped smiling.  
"I do not. But I do rarely trust anyone" she started and Loki was about to say something but she stopped him. "Do not take me as an example! I trust to few people. People who should have my trust do not have it. But I have been hurt to many times to trust people anymore"  
At those words Loki looked away and she smiled.  
"I trust you Loki" she said to him.  
"How? Cara I am the good of lies" he said and at those words she laughed.  
"That you maybe, but you have never lied to me. And if you would do that, I would see right through it, just like you do with me" she told him and he didn't say anything.

"Do you want to keep walking or go and talk with Thor and his friends?" she asked instead, not wanting to pressure him about it.  
Loki looked over to Thor and the others and Cara could tell that he wasn't thrilled about talking to them, and that he was even scared. And Cara knew why, even if they hadn't touched him, how would he knew that they weren't involved some other way.  
"I am there with you, and if you want to leave we do that" she said and Loki thought about it and the nodded. "Then let's go"

* * *

When they stopped in front of the others the twins walked over towards them.  
"You looked amazing Mother" Narfi said. "Can you teach me how to a volt?"  
"I can teach you" Cara said and Narfi smiled big.  
"You were great to father" Váli said and Loki smiled a shy smile towards him but didn't say anything.  
"Kids?" Cara said and they looked at her. "Do you know the way back to floor we are living in?"  
"Yes" Narfi said and Cara nodded.  
"Can you return there? We will be there in a moment, we just need to talk to Thor and his friends" she asked.  
"Okay. Can we play with Fai?" Váli asked.  
"Of course you can" she smiled towards them and they soon ran away and she turned to the others.

"So what do you lovely gentlemen want?" she asked and in a nice voice even if she was on her guard.  
"I told them about everything" Thor said and at those words Loki looked away and Cara took his hands but she didn't say anything.  
"That I could have guessed Thor" she said and Thor blushed a little.  
"Yes of course you could have" he said and Cara waited for him to say something more. "I just wanted to tell you, or especially Loki that they are going to help us bring down Odin. They are on our side so, you do not need to worry about them"  
"Great" Loki only said and turned towards Cara. "I see you upstairs"  
Cara looked at him as he walked away before she turned towards Thor.

"What did I do wrong? I thought he would be happy" Thor said.  
"I think he is revealed that he doesn't need to worry about Volstagg and Hogun, but you also told them what he went through. It isn't something you like other people to know" Cara explained.  
"But I needed them to understand" he said.  
"Thor I don't blame you, but Loki is ashamed of it. And when you say it like he need there protection" Cara said and Thor slowly nodded.  
"I didn't know" Thor admitted.  
"I know. And I think it's great that your friends will help out, thank you" Cara said to them with a smile.  
"You don't trust us" Hogun said and Cara nodded.  
"Not a bit, but I trust that Thor knows what he is doing" Cara said.  
"Don't say that" Thor admitted.  
"You think you may be wrong?" Cara asked and Thor rubbed his neck again and Cara sighed. "And what will we do about it?" she asked.  
"Can we do anything about it. I want to trust them, I do trust them" Thor said and tried to sound confident and Cara laughed at his words before she gave him a deadly look.  
"This is your responsibility, if something goes wrong I am going after you!" she said and Thor swallowed, knowing that she meant that. She had threatened to kill him before and he did fear that she would do that the first time they met. So he was sure that she would do it this time if something did go wrong.  
"We will not betray Loki" Volstagg said and Cara gave him a look but didn't say anything. "Do you want us to prove it?"  
"And how would you do that?" Cara asked and Volstagg looked at her.  
"Name anything" he said and she smiled a cold smile.  
"Those are not wise words to use" she said and walked closer. "But I will take advantage of this. I will make you take an unbreakable vow, or something that comes close to it."  
"And that is what?" Hogun asked.  
"It's an vow that kills you if you break it" she said. "And therefore I am going to ask you to take it so you can't betray Loki without dying"  
"Will we need to die for him?" Volstagg asked and Cara raised an eyebrow.  
"I said you can't betray him, not that you have to die for him. I would never force anyone to die for someone else, I am not that much of a monster" she told them and the other men looked at each other and then nodded.  
"For Thor" Volstagg said and those words made Thor smile.  
"Cara do we really need to?" Thor asked.  
"We don't need to, but I would prefer" she said and the other men nodded.  
"Don't worry Thor" Volstagg said.  
"If they don't betray him, nothing will happen" Cara said and then turned towards Thor's friends. "Kneel"  
They looked surprised at her but did so.  
"Take each other's right hands and hold them" she said and the men did so. "Then say after me: I promise that I will never betray Loki in anyway. That means telling where he is to anyone. Help anyone catch or touch him. Talk to Odin about any of this. Hurt his children in anyway. Hurt him in anyway or help the ones hurt him!"  
The others repeated the words and Cara let the magic flow from her hands and a string of magic wounded it's way around their hands like a red-hot wire. And then it disappeared and she backed away.  
"You can stand up" she said and turned around from them.  
"I can't see anything, did it really work?" Volstagg asked.  
"You can always try if you feel like it" she said and started to leave the room. "I need to make dinner"

Thor looked after Cara when she left and then turned to his friends.  
"You didn't need to do that" Thor said and they smiled.  
"We know, but we wanted to prove to you that you could trust us" Volstagg said and Hogun nodded.  
"Thank you my friends" Thor said and smiled back.  
"So you are getting married?" Volstagg asked and Thor nodded.  
"I am. And I am glad you are here. I will really need the help!" Thor said and they looked at him.  
"With what?" Hogun asked.  
"Everything. Or that is not true. Jane has control of most things, but I need help with making sure who to invite, and how to make the wedding safe enough for Loki to be there. I really want him to be there" Thor admitted.  
"We will make sure that he can be there" Volstagg said and patted Thor on the back.  
"Then I trust you to help me" Thor said and then smiled. "But I think we should go upstairs and see if we can help Cara with anything so the dinner will be ready soon"  
"Now you are talking my friend" Volstagg said and laughed as they left the room.


	23. Brothers ones more

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is finally the next chapter. And I thought that I would move things along, at least for a bit. And I has been around a month since the last chapter. And sure it's a short time to plan a wedding, but if you know Tony Stark you can fix everything at ones.
> 
> And I am also sorry if Loki feels strange in this chapter, but yeah he is changing, he isn't going to go totally out of character, trust me. Even if he was very out of character in this chapter. I hope you survives it. I just wanted to have a nice moment with Loki and Thor! And also sorry if you didn't get to much Cara and Loki in the chapter.  
> Also sorry if you felt like the chapter was a bit chaotic, I wanted to give the feeling on how it may feel the short time before a weeding, and during a wedding. But I may also apologize that the wedding isn't super well written. I have never been married myself and the last wedding I was at, well I was 12. So hope you survives that too!
> 
> But even if I apologize a lot, I am happy with the chapter, really happy actually!
> 
> And Magni and Mothi are Thor's sons from the mythology. And well there is super little information about them. I think one or both of them exist in Marvels universe too, but I did not use those versions. I did actually not use any version, I just used them as I wanted for a bit fun. And Thor's daughter, well you will see why she isn't there.
> 
> Think that was all, so I hope you enjoy the chapter :)

"Thor I can't do this" Loki said and Thor gave him an irritated look, he tried not to, but he still did.  
"You promised Loki" Thor said and Loki just gave him a sorrowful look, but he didn't say anything. "Guess I should be used by now. You were never good at keeping promises"  
Thor had just talked without thinking, he didn't mean those words, but he still said them. Thor saw how those words hurt his brother and Thor wanted to take them back but he couldn't.  
"You have to do this without me" Loki just said and Thor who wanted to apologize for what he said instead become mad.  
"I did all this extra work for you! All the planning the last month! And now you aren't coming!" Thor shouted. "If you don't want to be there, you could just have said so!"  
Loki had jumped back when Thor shouted at him, but Thor didn't think of it at that moment.  
"No, I will not have it! You are coming at the wedding, no matter what you say!" Thor grabbed Loki and started to drag him towards the door, not thinking of what he was doing.

Thor stopped when he heard Loki sob behind him, realising what he had done. As soon as he let go, Loki backed away from him. Thor saw the fear in his brothers eyes.  
"I am so sorry Loki" Thor said and took a step closer and Loki backed away even further from him. Thor saw the tears fall down on Loki's cheeks as he tried to understand what just happened.  
"I didn't mean it Loki! I just want you to be there, at my wedding! And I…" Thor said in a sorrowful voice trying to explain his actions.  
"Leave the room Thor" Thor suddenly heard Cara's voice from behind. He heard how angry she was at him and he actually swallowed, very nervously.  
"I didn't mean it Cara! You have to believe me! I just want him to be there" Thor said as he turned around to her but she didn't care of what he said.  
"Go before Jane has to burry you instead or marring you" Cara only said and Thor understood that she meant it and he left the room as fast as he could.

* * *

When Thor left the room, Cara closed the door behind him.  
"Hi Loki" she said in a friendly voice and walked over to him. Loki looked down before he slowly sat down in a chair. He was rubbing his wrist and Cara saw how it was red, he would most likely get a bruise there. Cara sat down on the armchair next to Loki, but she didn't say anything. She just wanted him to know that she was there if he needed her.

"Why? Loki asked without looking at her.  
"My guess would be that he was upset over you not wanting to go. But there is no excuse for what he did" Cara said and Loki didn't answer, instead he rested his head on her lap and she stroked his hair, which made him start crying again. Cara didn't say anything, she just tried to comfort him. She was furies at Thor, she knew that his reaction wasn't unusual. Sometimes the people around you got frustrated with you for not manage to do somethings. They don't mean it, but it still happen, but it's never okay. Cara felt like throwing Thor off the roof, but she contained herself, not wanting Loki to see how angry she was, afraid that would scare him.

"I am sorry" Loki said when he stopped crying.  
"Why?" Cara asked, she did not follow this time.  
"I ruined your dress" he said and Cara laughed a warm laugh.  
"Don't worry about it Loki, it's just a dress, and it isn't something a little bit of magic can't solve" she said and Loki slowly nodded. "But are you feeling better?"  
"No" Loki said and she understood him.  
"Didn't think you would" she said in a understanding voice. "Would you prefer not to go to the wedding?"  
Loki thought about it.

"What are you going to do?" he asked.  
"If you go I go, if not, well then we can do something else if you want" she said and Loki was about to say something when she stopped him. "And don't feel bad. I have no other reason to go then to keep you company. Jane and I aren't close and well Thor, right now I am mad at him so I would not go just to please him"  
"Do you think I should go?" Loki asked and looked at her.  
"Can't tell you what to do here. It is all up to you" Cara said in a friendly voice.  
"I am scared, or rather terrified" Loki admitted and she nodded.  
"I understand why. But I can tell you that you are going to be safe at the wedding. Me and your mother have done everything we can to make the roof safe. And Thor has only invited people who we can trust. No one there is going to hurt you. That I can tell you" Cara told him.  
"I know that" Loki said in a low voice "But that isn't the problem. I don't think anyone is going to hurt me there…"  
Loki stopped and Cara gave him the time he needed.  
"It's just that Thor is expecting things of me, they all are. And they are going to look at me, I can't handle that" Loki told her and she took his hand and smiled.  
"Don't worry about what they are expecting. Thor only wants you to be there, that's all. Nothing else, and the rest have no expectations on you. Trust me they are going to have their eyes on Thor and Jane" Cara said. "And then don't look at them, you can look at me and the twins if you want"  
"I can do that" Loki said and smiled towards her. "But Thor want me to hold a speech"  
"I can tell him that you aren't feeling like it, or that you don't know if you will speak. So then you can decide later on if you will or not"  
Loki thought about what she had said.  
"Do you think I can do it?" Loki asked her and she smiled towards him.  
"I do. But only do it if you feel like it" Cara said. She did not want him to force himself to do this, because it would most likely not end well.  
"Can you tell Thor that I will do it?" Loki asked and she smiled.  
"I will tell him, right after I change my dress" she said with and stood up. "Call for me if you need something"

* * *

"Father you need to calm down" Mothi said and Thor looked at his youngest.  
"I can't" Thor only said "How could I be so stupid?"  
It was a rhetorical question so neither of his sons answered. They weren't sure what had happened to make their father so upset, and he hadn't told them.

Thor's sons turned around when they heard footsteps, only to see a blond tall woman walking towards them in a long light blue, strapless dress with silver decorations on the top. The brothers looked at each other, then at her, neither of them knew who she was. But she was beautiful.  
"Hi I am Mothi" the youngest said and walked towards her.  
"And I am Magni" the oldest said and pushed his younger brother away and smiled towards her. But the woman just walked past them and over to their father.  
"Thor" she said in a cold voice and Thor stopped. "He will still come, he can't promise that he will hold his speech"  
At those words Thor was about to hug her but stopped when she gave him a cold look.  
"Do that again and I will kill you!" she said and the brothers looked at each other and then at their father a bit surprised when Thor looked scared.  
"I will not do anything like that again. Now I need to tell Pepper to tell Jane that Loki will come" Thor said and walked off.

"Hi" Mothi said again and looked at the woman.  
"Hi" Magni also said and smiled again.  
"I must say that you look very lovely today!" Mothi said and stepped in front of his brother.  
"Me too" Magni said and the woman just looked at them, like they both were stupid.  
"May we help you with anything?" Mothi asked.  
"Do you need anything? A drink? A date?" Magni asked.  
"Hey" Mothi said and hit his brother on the arm.  
"What? You didn't ask her!" Magni said before he turned towards the woman. "So what do you say?"

"I think don't think my date would appreciate if I left him" she said and was about to walk away when the brothers walked around her and stopped her.  
"I don't think he would mind! I mean look at us, he can't be better than us, especially me, the strong one!" Magni said.  
"I am the brave one" Mothi told her with a smile.  
"I think I will pass" the woman said and both brothers just stared at her and she tried to walk away again, but they stopped her ones more.  
"Don't say that! I promise I take care of you" Magni said.  
"I will take better care of you!" Mothi said and pushed away his brother.  
"Give us a chance!" Mothi said.  
"Yes! We are gods, and brave warriors. Who on Midgard can beat that?" Magni said and the woman sighed.  
"Who said my date is someone from Midgard?" She asked and neither of the brothers followed.  
"Okay doesn't matter where he is from! We are loved in our kingdom! We are the best, better then him!" Magni said.  
"Yes, no one can be better than us!" Mothi said.  
"Your words are such solid proof" the woman said in a bored voice.  
"Trust us! Whoever you date is, he is nothing like us!" Mothi said.  
"That is true" the woman answered and tried to walk away again when Magni took her hand.  
"So come on, what do you say?" Magni asked.  
"I say that you shouldn't do that" she said and gave him a schooling look.  
"And why is that? Afraid of falling in love with me?" Magni asked and walked closer.  
"No, but my date will not like it!" she said and looked behind Magni. "Isn't that right Loki?"

At those words both brothers turned around to see Loki standing behind them in a black suit, giving them a cold look.  
"Uncle Loki" Magni said and stepped away.  
"How lovely to see you" Mothi added, but Loki walked past them over to the woman.  
"Are you alright?" he asked and she smiled.  
"I am, no need to worry. They are just stupid boys" she said and gave the brothers a cold look.  
"That they are" Loki said and the brothers tried to follow what was happening.  
"You are Cara?" Magni finally asked, remembering how their father had told them about her.  
"Don't hurt to ask for a name before you try to get someone to leave their date" Cara said and Loki looked at them and the brothers was sure that they would die at that moment.  
"Leave" Loki only said and the brothers looked at each other and then Loki before they ran away, glad that they were alive.

"Thank you for stepping in. I preferred not to hurt them" Cara said and took Loki's hand as they walked towards the roof.  
"Anytime" Loki told her and she smiled towards him.  
"How are you holding up?" she asked him.  
"Nervous" he admitted and she stopped him.  
"It is going to go well, but if you ever want to get away just give me a sign and I will help you" she told him and he smiled at her and nodded before they started walking again.

"Cara" Loki said before they walked out on the roof and she looked at him with a smile. "I just wanted to tell you how beautiful you are."  
"Thank you Loki" she said and hugged him "And I must say that you don't look half bad yourself"  
At those words Loki blushed and looked down but she just took his hand as they walked out. At this moment the roof was almost empty, except Thor who stood at the altar, the twins who sat with Frigga and the other Avengers. Before she sat down at the twins she hugged Loki and gave him an encouraging smile and he nodded and walked up to Thor, without looking at him.

"Mother" the twins said and she smiled at them and sat down.  
"Hello" she said to them and to Frigga.  
"Is he alright?" Frigga asked and looked at her youngest.  
"He is better" Cara just said and looked at Loki who did look down as Thor tried to talk to him, and when Thor tried to touch him he backed away. Thor looked at Cara for support, but she only gave him a cold look.  
"Did something happen?" Frigga asked as she watched her sons.  
"Thor got a bit angry before" Cara only said and Frigga sighed.  
"Oh Thor" she only said. "I will have a talk with him later"  
"Uncle Thor is in trouble" Narfi said with a big smile and Váli laughed, and Cara could not help it, but she smiled too.

"Grandmother" Magni said as he and Mothi walked over to Frigga.  
"Hello" Frigga said and stood up and hugged them.  
"Oh and hello Cara" the brothers said and looked down.  
"Hello" she said and looked at Narfi and Váli who looked at the two men with a wondering look. "They are your cousins"  
"They are?" Váli asked and Cara nodded.  
"You are Loki's youngest?" Mothi asked without looking up.  
"What did you do to them Cara?" Frigga said with a laugh.  
"Me? I am innocent here" Cara said and smiled and Frigga gave her a wondering look. "It's the truth. Loki may not be too happy with them. They tried to ask me out. I tried to tell them that I wasn't interested"  
At those words Frigga looked at the brothers and sighed again.  
"You really are your fathers sons" she said and laughed again.  
"She could have said who she was!" Magni protested.  
"You didn't ask" Cara only said.  
"Stay away from mother!" Narfi said in a determined voice.  
"Yes, don't try to take her from father!" Váli said and Cara hugged the twins and smiled towards them.  
"That will never happen" Cara assured them and they smiled back.  
"I would sit down before Loki comes over" Frigga teased her older grandkids who looked terrified and almost run to their seats.  
"Brave warriors?" Cara asked and Frigga smiled.  
"Normally they are. But Loki have played enough tricks on them during the years, so now they are careful around him" Frigga explained and Cara smiled and looked up at Loki who still was looking down, avoiding to look at all the people who was starting to gather at the roof.

* * *

When all the people was gathered and the music started to play Thor got really nervous. He had spent all this time planning the weeding, and not preparing on actually getting married. He felt more nervous than he did on the battlefield. What if he did something wrong, what if Jane changed her mind? And suddenly Thor got all this images in his head, images of everything that could go wrong. Was this really the smart thing to do? Was he even ready for this? He even missed Darcy, Pepper and Peggy walking up and standing opposite of him. His mind was racing and he felt like running away, until he saw Jane walk down the aisle, in a white flowing dress with a gold belt. When he saw her walking out next to Erik he felt calm again. She was the most beautiful woman in the world, and he loved her so much. He wanted to spend his life with her.

Thor turned to Loki to give him a smile but Loki did not look at him and Thor cursed himself for that. He wanted this to be a happy day, a day he shared with Loki. Thor was glad that Loki was standing next to him, but he knew that it was all Cara's doing. Thor had handled the situation poorly and he felt terrible. He needed to talk to Loki later, hoping that his brother would talk to him. Thor turned from Loki, hoping that some space would make him feel better, and instead he looked at Jane as she walked the last step to soon stand in front of him. Thor smiled the biggest smile he had ever smile towards her, and she smiled back.

"We have all gathered here today to be a part of Thor's and Jane's special day" Tony said, smiling widely, glad that he was the one holding the ceremony. "Even if it meant that we got a few broken doors before we stood here"  
"Hey! I was happy" Thor defended himself and the others laughed.  
"Whatever you say big guy!" Tony said before he continued "I have known Thor since the day he took Loki from us and then beat me up. And I have known Jane since the first party Thor dragged her to. Sorry for that"  
Jane smiled towards Tony, thinking of how bad that party had ended, with half of the tower destroyed.

"And I must say that I never see them as happy separated as they are together. They are perfect for each other, manly because Jane is the only one that can stand Thor a longer time" Tony said and people laughed again.  
"So before she comes to her senses, let's move on" Tony said and looked at Thor and Jane. "Do you Thor Odinson take this Jane Foster to be your lawfully wedded wife?"  
"I do" Thor shouted and Jane laughed and Thor blushed.  
"Great" Tony said and gave Thor a schooling look for shouting. "And do you Jane Foster take this Thor Odinson to be your lawfully wedded husband?"  
"I do" Jane said with a smile.  
"Rings" Tony said to Loki who carefully handled them over to Thor and Jane, without looking at them. They took them, before she placed them on each other's hands. "So with that done, I can now, by the authority vested in me, pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride"  
At those words Thor kissed Jane and the others started to applaud when Thor lifted up Jane and spun around. And when he stopped and she was standing on the ground, both of them were smiling at each other.  
"Let's party!" Tony suddenly said and everyone laughed before they started to empty the roof.

* * *

"Loki" Thor said when the roof was almost empty, but Loki looked away and walked past him over to Cara and the twins.  
"Jane what shall I do?" Thor turned towards Jane who kissed him.  
"That I can't help you with." She said in a sorrow voice. "I would say give him time, maybe. I don't know"  
"Thor Odinson!" Frigga suddenly said and walked over to them and Thor knew that he was in trouble. Frigga stopped in front of them and first she looked at Jane. "You look lovely my dear"  
Frigga hugged Jane who smiled.  
"Thank you" she answered and then looked at Thor with a smile "Good luck"  
Thor looked at her as she left the roof with her bridesmaids and he turned to face his mother.  
"You look lovely too son, and congratulations" Frigga started and hugged her oldest and Thor smiled, thinking that it wasn't that bad until she stepped away. "So when I have said that. How could you be so stupid to do that to Loki?"  
"I didn't mean to" Thor tried to explain to Frigga who just gave him a look.  
"Oh Thor, you really need to think before you act" she said in a tired way. "So when he is ready, you should apologise"  
"I want to do it now!" Thor said and Frigga looked over at where Loki was standing.  
"Let's see what we can do about it. But behave Thor, or I may look the other way when Cara does something" Frigga said and Thor nodded.

Cara looked at Frigga when she walked over with Thor. Loki looked like he wanted to run away and Cara took his hand.  
"Just say the words and I will throw him off the roof" she said with a smile and Loki smiled back.  
"Loki?" Frigga asked and Loki turned towards his mother who smiled. "Look at you all dressed up and handsome"  
Loki blushed at his mother's words and Cara laughed a warm laugh.  
"Mother" Loki said but Frigga offered him a hug instead and he accepted it.  
"We want to hug grandmother too" Narfi said and ran over with Váli to Frigga and hugged her legs, before they stepped away.  
"Can we go down to the others?" Váli asked and looked at them.  
"Yes you can, just be careful" Loki said and the twins nodded before they run away.

"Thor's wish to speak to you" Frigga said and looked at Loki who at ones looked away.  
"Do you not wish to?"  
At that Loki didn't answer, not at first.  
"Not really" he started and Thor got less hopeful then he had been just a moment ago.  
"Loki I think you should hear him out" Cara said and Loki looked at her. "Just like I did after our fight"  
Cara could tell how unsure Loki was about this, and she knew that he was scared of Thor right now, but slowly he nodded.  
"I can stay if you want?" she asked and Loki thought about it before he shook his head.  
"Go down to the twins" he said and she smiled.  
"I will wait for you" she said and left the roof with Frigga.

* * *

"Is he going to be alright?" Frigga asked as she walked next to Cara.  
"I hope so, if not, well Jane is soon going to be a widow" Cara just said and Frigga didn't say anything. Thor was her son too and she did not wish for anything to happen to him, but she had always been a bit overprotective of Loki, feeling like he needed it. She never knew that Odin was the one behind people treating Loki like they did. But seeing how he was treated as a child and a grown up, she could do nothing else then be protective over him. She had just wish she could have done something about it earlier.  
"Frigga is everything alright?" Cara asked and Frigga looked puzzled at her. "You almost walked into the wall"  
Cara smiled at her and Frigga looked up at the wall and laughed.  
"I got a bit destructed I am afraid" she only said.  
"That can often happen when you think of your children" she said and Frigga nodded. Sometimes she forgot that Cara had been a mother too.  
"I am afraid that you are right my dear" Frigga said as they walked into the ballroom where the guests was starting to gather.  
"May I ask how you manage not to get Odin to come?" Cara asked and Frigga looked at her.  
"I have some friends who helped me. They just said that they demanded All Fathers presence for something" she explained and Cara nodded.  
"I am glad he isn't here. I prefer not to die" she said and Frigga gave her a wondering look. "I would most likely try to kill him if he was here, and that would get me killed"  
"Oh I see. Well I am afraid you are right. We need help to bring him down. Glad I have friends who is willing to help me. Everything is starting to come together, even if it goes slowly. We are arresting people in secret. Starting with the ones that Odin won't notice" Frigga told her and Cara nodded.  
"That's great. And taking things slow is better than rushing it, even if it doesn't always feels like it" Cara said.  
"Once again you are right." Frigga said as she saw Loki and Thor walking into the room. "If you excuse me, I will go and talk to Thor"

Cara looked at Loki when he walked over to her.  
"Did everything go well?" she asked and he nodded and she gave him a wondering look, but didn't say anything. "Shall we get seated at the table?"  
Loki just took her hand and walked over to their seats and sat down, just as the other guests started to, and soon the food was brought to their plates.

* * *

"…That's why I wish Thor and Jane the best of luck" Steve ended his speech and people clapped their hands. When people had finished their food and was waiting for dessert people started with their speeches, everyone wanted to wish the happy couple good luck, especially Jane. Cara could tell that Loki still wasn't sure of what he should do, so she held his hand, showing that she supported him whatever he wanted to do. When the last person finished talking Loki slowly stood up and Cara smiled at him, so did Thor and he was about to say something when Cara gave him a look and he kept quiet.

Loki closed his eyes for a second before he turned to Thor and Jane.  
"When Thor told me that he was getting married I could not understand why he told me. And when he asked me to be his best man I could understand less. First I thought he had lost his mind, which would have been less surprising to me" Loki started before he took a deep breath. "To be honest I hated Thor when we grew up, always the golden prince, and can't say that feeling went away when I got older. Back then I tried to hide my hate, at first at least, trying to be a good little brother. Until the truth got reviled, we weren't brothers, and that meant I didn't have to hide my hate. I had no reason to care about him anymore, I had no reason to step away and be a good boy because he was my big brother. No that meant that I could act upon my feelings. When Thor got banished here, to earth I couldn't have been happier, because that meant I could get my chance on ruling Asgard. Which at that time was more or less the only thing I wanted to do, to prove that I was equal or even better then Thor. To show that Thor wasn't the perfect golden prince! I thought it would go well, who would stop me? No one knew what I was doing, especially not Thor."

Loki took a paus looking down for a moment before he looked up again.  
"Thor must be the most naïve person I have ever met, and I took advantage of that more than once. But it helped me fool him, and almost break him. Until Jane come along, she gave him something to fight for, something I could not understand at that moment. Why would he throw away everything for her, why would he risk everything for her? She was just one person. It wasn't until Cara come along that I could understand why" Loki turned around towards her and she smiled. "Meeting her made me understand how Thor felt. Not that it stopped me from trying to kill them, not at all. Even if I understood Thor's actions, it didn't stop me from hating him. Especially not when Odin couldn't see why I had acted like I did, and instead sided with Thor. Letting go and falling into the abys was the easiest thing I have ever done, when I saw Thor's sorrow, it actually made me happy. Seeing Cara's sorrow when I let go was the hardest thing I have ever done."

Once again Loki looked down and Cara took his hand and he smiled at her. And he continued.  
"So when I got the option to take over earth, I didn't need to think twice. Earth was something Thor cared about, not only because his beloved Jane lived here, no he cared about it before. Me, not so much. So I thought if I can't get Asgard, I can get earth, a planet to rule and one that would hurt Thor. I thought it would be easy, me being a God and all, well we all know how that went" Loki said and smiled a week smile.  
"Yeah we did Reindeer games!" Tony shouted and gave Loki a smile, who smiled back.  
"Anyway, during my try, Thor tried to talk to me, like he was my brother, which I told him I wasn't. Something that didn't seem to bother him at all. Maybe because he is really thick-headed, or because he thought of me as his brother anyway. And it was something that almost drew me mad. I could not see what he saw. When he brought me back to Asgard, telling me that Odin would forgive me and everything would be back to normal, I could have laughed at him, once again being naïve. And even if it's no consolation, I was right…" Loki paused and no one said anything to rush him.

"Then more than a year passed when two people I was convinced hated me, saved me, Cara and Thor. Me not understanding why, especially not after all the pain I caused them. But I could understand Cara's action more than Thor's. I let her believe I was dead, and I did hurt her, but not as much as Thor. Who for some reason still accepted me, and thought of me as his brother, which clearly proves how thick-headed he is" Loki said and people laughed, something that surprised him and he stopped for a moment. "But after getting here I started to see things differently, also because I had pieces of the puzzles I didn't have when we were children. I started to understand that it wasn't Thor I hated, it was everything that he represented, which wasn't his fault. The person behind everything was just Thor, not the first born, not the future king or the golden prince, just Thor. Someone I really didn't hate. I know that it took me awfully long to figure that out, and I am supposed to be the smart one of us"  
Again people laughed and Loki smiled.

"What I wanted to say Thor was that I am sorry for how I have threated you over the years, you and Jane. Actually especially Jane, because all yoy did was fall in love with this big oaf, something he should be really grateful for. I think you are the first one of the woman he has met, that I like. You bring out the best in him" Loki said and smiled towards Jane, who smiled back, trying to hold back tears. "So even if we aren't related by blood Thor, and you have kept telling me for years that it doesn't matter, I can only say it now. I do wish you the best of luck brother, both of you, and I wish for you to be very happy"

When Loki was finished people started to applaud which made him jump, and actually back away a bit, not being prepared for it, and Cara took his hand once more, to show that she was there.  
"Loki" Thor said and Loki turned towards him. Thor stood up and he cried, he didn't think that Loki would speak, not after what he did this morning. And even if he did speak, Thor didn't think Loki would be so honest. He wanted to hug him and he opened his arms for him, hoping Loki would accept the hug. Loki looked at Thor very unsure, but Cara pushed him, just like she had done with Frigga. Thor smiled towards his brother when he hugged him back. "Thank you Loki"  
Loki didn't say anything, but Thor felt like he didn't need to. Thor felt how Loki was crying to, but he didn't say anything about it, he was just so happy that Loki thought of him as his brother again.

When Thor let go of Loki Jane stood next to him and looked at Loki.  
"May I?" she asked and offered him a hug and very carefully Loki accepted she was happy that Loki accepted her and when she let go of him she smiled. "It was really beautiful Loki"  
Loki only nodded and then sat down, not wanting everyone to look at him, feeling really uncomfortable. Thor felt that and turned to the guests.  
"Let's cut the cake!" he said and took Jane's hand and walked over to the cake and the guests left Loki alone, most of them feeling that he needed it.

Loki put his head against the table, and Cara sat next to him, stroking his back. She guessed he felt exhausted, having everyone's eyes on you could be. And she knew that he was afraid that they judge him for his actions.  
"I am proud of you Loki" Cara said and he looked at her but he didn't say anything. "How are you feeling?"  
"Scared" he said and she smiled.  
"You did great. It took a lot of courage to do what you just did" she said. "And it was a lovely speech"  
"Feels like everyone is judging me" he told her as he leaned against her shoulder.  
"They aren't. They may be a bit surprise." She said and he looked at her "They all got to see a new side of you today. They got to see a side not many people have seen"  
At those words Loki covered his face and took a deep breath.  
"I don't hope they think I will be like that from now on!" he said and she laughed.  
"I don't think they do. Don't be worry, you are still a scary evil villain" she said and he rolled his eyes at her.

"Oh Loki" Frigga said when she walked over trying not to cry and Loki looked at her. "Your speech made me so happy. You was so honest, gentle and funny… and… and calling Thor your brother again"  
Cara smiled before she started to giggle before she started to laugh, which made Frigga look at her in surprise.  
"I am sorry Frigga. Loki is just afraid that everyone will stop seeing him as an evil powerful villain now" she said and Frigga smiled towards Loki.  
"Don't you worry about that. I think it will take more than a speech for people to think differently of you" Frigga assured him, but those words actually made Loki lowered his head in shame. "Oh I didn't mean…"  
"It's alright mother" Loki said and stood up "Will you excuse me"  
Cara and Frigga looked as he left the room and walked out on the balcony.  
"I will talk to him" Cara said and walked after.

* * *

When she got out on the balcony she closed the door behind her. Loki was standing, leaning against the railing.  
"Hi" she said and walked over to him. "I am sorry for laughing"  
Loki didn't look at her, instead he looked out over the city.  
"I do not blame you" he said.  
"Then what is it?" Cara asked.  
"I feel lost" he admitted and she gave him a puzzled look. "I don't know who I am anymore"  
"Why not?" she asked.  
"Because I do not feel like I did before. I do not hate Thor like I did, I don't hate the Avengers like I did. I do hate Odin, but I have always done that" Loki said and Cara didn't say anything about it, but Odin did deserve the hate "But I am not a nice person either. I don't want people to think that. I am not made out to be a nice guy, I was born a monster… I was…"  
At those words Cara stopped him and hugged him.

"You aren't a monster! You wasn't born as a monster, and you will never be one" she told him and Loki hugged her back and she felt how he started to cry.  
"Then who am I?" he almost shouted at her. Cara took a step back so she could look at him.  
"You are Loki. You don't need to be either good or bad, you can be both or neither. You don't have to be anything you don't want to be" she told him, but he didn't answer her.  
"When I was born people on the good side called me a monster too, assuming I was a bad person before they knew me, just because of my father. He was a monster though, and a bad person. He expected me to follow in his footstep, to rule the world after him. When I started school, my headmaster thought he could change me, that he could make me into a good person. Someone that had been born to only help people."

Loki looked at her as she talked and she smiled before she looked out over the town.  
"I learned that I wanted to be neither of those persons. I did not want to rule the world, I did not wish to be a lonely person who hated everyone and only caused pain. But I realised that I didn't want to be a good person that only helped people either. I didn't want to throw away my life for others. Both side got disappointed at me, and it didn't make my life easy, but I did survive it and I did become myself." Cara looked at Loki. "I become who ever I wanted to be. I choose to follow my own path, helping the ones I cared about, doing everything for them, but I also have the darkness inside me. The darkness helps me do things normal people wouldn't, it helps me do everything for the ones I care about, and then I mean everything. I would say I have more darkness inside me then goodness, if you can count. But that's how I choose to be"

"How did you figure it out?" Loki asked.  
"Time, and a lot of people effecting me in different ways" Cara admitted. "But that doesn't matter, because you have to figure out who you want to be. Don't care about what others may think"  
"Not even you?" Loki asked in a curious voice and she smiled.  
"Not even me, because I will be here no matter what you do" she said and he smiled and pulled her into a hug. "But this is something you don't need to think about now. You can take your time"  
Loki only nodded, and Cara didn't say anything. She knew that the things that Loki went through changes people, to what you may never knew. And she understood why Loki felt confused, she had the first time too. After her first time she was forced to changes her beliefs and who she was. She just hoped Loki would like who he become, she didn't always like who she was.

"Do you wish to dance?" Loki suddenly asked and Cara looked at him, it was only now she heard music coming from inside.  
"I would love to" she said "But can we dance out here? I like being under the stars"  
Loki looked up at the stars and then at Cara and nodded, before he took her hand and walked over to a bigger area of the balcony.  
"What do you wish to dance?" Loki asked.  
"Anything you want. I have been to enough galas to know a lot of dances" Cara told him and Loki smiled.  
"Sometimes I forget how much you have travelled, and how much you have experienced" he admitted. "So how about some Minuet?"  
At those words Cara laughed a warm laugh.  
"You like to give me a challenge, don't you?" she asked and at those words Loki just gave her a sinister mischievous smile before he backed away from her and they started to dance.


	24. Away from the tower

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Here is the next chapter. And well it took some time because I have re-written it a few times, but I got happy with the results :)
> 
> And yeah I felt like Cara and Loki needed more time together, so felt like they could have more or less a whole chapter. I hope you don't think everyones actions was strange. I tried to make them legit and kind of logical. And the Avengers are starting to see Loki in a new way, ha has lived there a while now.
> 
> And I also hope you feel like Loki wasn't to strange in this chapter. I tried to make him feel confused and scared, so hope I managed to do that.
> 
> Then I hoped the Harry Potter part, or well not so much Harry Potter, part was okay. Simon is also my own character, the rest, well they do exist, like many of you may know. I have just changed them super duper much in my other stories. And I am sorry to anyone who likes Draco. I like him sometimes, and sometimes I hate him. So making him a bad character wasn't a problem for me, not after awhile at least.
> 
> Thinks that's all the information you need. Oh wait, Jane and Thor are away on their honeymoon, that's why they aren't in the chapter.
> 
> Hope you enjoy the chapter! :)

"Ouch, I am never drinking again" Tony said as he sat down at the table with the others.  
"You say that every time" Pepper said as she took a glass of juice.  
"But this time I really mean it!" Tony said and gave her a determent look.  
"You say that every time too" she only answered him as the other laughed.  
"Loud!" Tony shouted towards them.  
"Now you are then one being loud" Cara only said smiling as she returned from the kitchen with bread.  
"How can you be smiling?" Tony asked and Cara laughed.  
"Because I am not hangover." She only told him as she sat down.  
"How did you manage that? How did both of you manage that?" Clint asked and looked at Loki who didn't seem to be hangover either.  
"One, I did not try to win a drinking competition against Thor" Cara said and gave both Clint and Tony a look.  
"We almost won!" Tony said and at that Loki snorted but didn't say anything.  
"Well I don't need to say more about that" Cara said. "And secondly, he is a god, and well they need to drink a lot to get even drunk, and I have magic that helps me. That and I can also handle alcohol"  
"Lucky basters" Tony said.  
"Language" Steve told him and Tony just gave him the finger.

"Well I will wake the twins, please behave when they get here" Cara said and looked at Tony.  
"Why me? I didn't do anything." Tony said and Cara raised an eyebrow "Fine, I behave mother"  
"Thank you, young one" Cara only said with a laugh before she left the others, and Tony gave her the finger too.

"Loki I did love your speech" Pepper said with a smile after Cara left.  
"I did too. It was nice to hear you so honest" Peggy said.  
"Does that mean that you are feeling more comfortable around us? I mean that you can be yourself, not feeling like you need to be this evil person?" Pepper asked.  
"Can we please not talk about it?" Loki asked without looking at them.  
"Oh don't be shy. It was lovely. And you deserve the praise" Peggy told him.  
"It was nice to see another side of you. Besides the evil villain you used to be" Tony teased. "And I must say that we like this side of you. Never thought I would say it, but you can be a nice guy Loki" Clint said  
Loki didn't answered them, or even smiled, but they didn't seem to notice.  
"Neither did I. But I like this new you. You have come a long way. Maybe it's because of Cara. Don't think I would say this, but maybe Thor was right, she brings out the best in you" Tony said with a smile.  
"Can we not bring her into this?" Loki asked them but they didn't seem to care.  
"I think you are right Tony. If Loki is this nice all the time, I can see why she likes him" Clint said.  
"Thought it was you who didn't understood why people could date him" Tony teased.  
"I didn't. But guess people can change" Clint answered.  
"Can we stop talking about this?" Loki said in an irritated way.  
"No, it's to big!" Tony said and laughed. "I mean can you just not see the headlines? Loki the evil villain, is a nice guy thanks to his girlfriend"  
"Please don't referee to her as my girlfriend" Loki told them.  
"Fine, I just call her your…what shall I call her? Wife? Lover? Nah girlfriend it is" Tony teased and Loki's eyes got darker.  
"Anyway, does this mean you will fight with us now? Next to your brother?" Tony asked.  
"That would be interesting, wouldn't it?" Clint asked the others.  
"I will admit that it would" Steve said after a few seconds and the others nodded.

"That would be a risky move" Mothi said and they looked at him in surprise. "What? It is true. Sure it was a nice speech, but he is known for his silver tongue. And he is the god of lies, just don't trust him that blindly"  
"So much for being the brave one" Tony teased.  
"I may be brave, but I am not stupid" Mothi informed him.  
"Not what I have heard. Hitting on Cara" Clint said with a laugh and Mothi's ears become red.  
"Anyway. I am just warning you" he said.  
"I think we will be fine. Loki hasn't hurt us yet" Tony said. "Isn't that proof enough? He is starting to become a nice guy."  
"I am not…" Loki started.  
"Yes you are! You are a nice guy. I mean you have been sitting with us for a while now, without trying to kill us" Tony said and pat Loki's back. Loki who wasn't prepared for it flinched and pushed his chair away from Tony. "Oh sorry Loki"  
"Tony" Bruce said and Tony looked at him.  
"I said I was sorry" Tony said and Bruce just shook his head. "But you have to admit it would be really cool to have Loki fight with us! Imagine all the things he could do!"  
"I am not interested" Loki said in a low voice.  
"Don't say that. I know you would do great with us!" Clint tried and Tony nodded.  
"Right! I mean none of us can handle magic, you can. You could beat them all. We wouldn't even need to do anything!" Tony said with a big smile.  
"Why are you trying to get him to fight with you? Do you wish to die?" Mothi asked.  
"No, but we wouldn't" Tony said.  
"Can we stop talking about this now?" Loki asked in a slightly irritated voice.  
"It is your life, can't stop you from doing stupid things" Mothi said.  
"Why are you doubting him brother?" Magni asked and Mothi looked at him.  
"Do you remember how it was too grew up around him? And back then he was just playing tricks. It was before he started to become real crazy" Mothi said in a low voice.  
"I am sitting here!" Loki warned them.  
"Do you not trust father?" Magni asked.  
"Not about this" Mothi admitted.  
"I think you are wrong. I think father is right, Loki has changed. You heard him yesterday. He isn't the same person we knew before. I think that after everything he went through he changed, so I would say that if it was what it took for him to change, it was worth it" Magni said without thinking. But as soon as he had said those words they all could feel the magic in the air. They all felt how hurt and angry Loki was.

"I asked you to stop talking about this" He said in a low cold voice and stood up. "Apparently you low life creatures can't understand those words"  
"Loki we didn't mean anything" Tony said and smiled towards him, but Loki just gave him a deadly glance.  
"Keep your excuses for yourself Anthony" Loki said.  
"See this is what I am talking about" Mothi whispered to his brother and Loki looked at them.  
"Shut up" Magni whispered back. "Loki I am sorry, I just meant that if this changed you to a better person, it all wasn't…"  
Magni tried to explain what he had meant, but he stopped when he saw Loki's dark eyes. But he didn't see how Loki fought back the tears.  
"It was all just a mistake Loki. Why don't you sit down again" Clint said in a friendly voice and placed a hand on his shoulder without thinking. At that moment they all felt how the magic hit them. They flew back and landed on the floor, just as Loki left the for the elevator.

* * *

Cara smiled when she got back with the twins. They had been really sleepy so it took her a long time to wake them up. But she knew that they stayed up longer than usual yesterday, so she didn't say anything about it.  
But when Cara walked into the dining room she stopped. Everything was in chaos. The furniture was destroyed and spread all over the room. The people was lying on the floor and Loki was missing.  
"What happened?" she just asked, she didn't ask anyone specific. The twins just looked around and then at her.  
"Is this what grown up does after we go to bed?" Narfi asked and Cara looked down at him, and if it had been another time she had laughed.  
"No" she only said and waited for an answer.  
"We talked and Loki got upset" Bruce said in an angry voice.  
"I want you to return to your room!" Cara said to the twins who looked at her very puzzled. "Now"  
The twins nodded before they ran off. Cara didn't feel like taking the risk of what could happen if Bruce turned.  
"Bruce stay calm" Cara said.  
"I am calm" Bruce snapped at her and she sighed, before she started to sing a calm song and clean up the mess. She stayed away from Bruce and she saw that the others did too.

Bruce finally calmed down and the others was reviled.  
"So what did happen?" Cara asked them, demanding an answer.  
"We just talked with him" Tony said as he tried to stop the bleeding from his head.  
"About?" Cara asked.  
"How he did a nice speech. How most of us thought, he really is a nice guy." Clint said and Cara sighed.  
"What? What is wrong about that?" Clint asked.  
"That doesn't concern you. What else did you do, because this would just not happen" she said.  
"Clint touched him!" Tony snapped.  
"You touched him first" Clint defended himself.  
"What more?" Cara said in a very irritated way.  
"He did ask us to stop" Steve said a bit hesitant.  
"And?"  
"I may have said that everything that happened to him was good" Magni admitted.  
"You did what?" Cara asked.  
"I mean it changed him to a better person" Magni said and at those words Cara threw him into the wall and he became unconscious.  
"Where did he go?" Cara just asked and the others looked at her, for the first time understanding that she would hurt them without thinking, if something happened to Loki.  
"The elevator" Pepper answered and Cara nodded, thinking. Where would Loki go? He would most likely not leave the tower, so he had to be somewhere in the tower.  
"Fandral" she said almost in panic before she ran to the elevator.

* * *

Cara stepped outside the elevator and calmly walked towards Fandral's cell, not wanting to scare Loki, or make him angry. She didn't know how he felt and which mood he was in, and she didn't know what could happen. Loki was a powerful man; Cara knew that so she was careful. As she walked towards Fandral's cell she looked for Loki but she couldn't find him, and she felt the panic raise. She guessed it could only mean that he was in Fandral's cell, but she almost begged God that she would be wrong about that. Cara knew that it was a useless pray, she knew that she wasn't wrong. When Cara got closer she saw that the door was open and she stopped. She knew that she needed to be calm or at least appear calm in this, something she really wasn't.

As she sneaked into the room she could see Loki on his knees in front of Fandral, who had his trousers down. Which made Cara a bit puzzled, she knew that she had removed everything she could when she castrated him. There was nothing there, nothing Loki could suck. It was at that moment she saw how Loki was licking him instead and she felt her heart stop. It broke her heart to see Loki like this, so lost, so scared or angry that he walked to Fandral. She had done it herself, and she most likely understood the fear, regret and lovely emptiness and the warm feeling of a familiar situation Loki felt, even if it wasn't a situation you were happy in. It was something you knew and could grasp.  
"Do something to make it feel good" Fandral suddenly shouted and grabbed Loki by the hair and threw him down on the floor, and Cara could see how Loki was scared but he also smiled.  
"You are as useless as always! Why do I even keep you around?" Fandral asked before he spit on Loki. "No one wants you anyway, so why should be the one stuck with you? You are filth on the floor"

Fandral turned around, looking at the wall and continued to curse Loki, who didn't seem to care. Cara walked over to Loki and offered him her hand. Loki looked up at her, and first he didn't seem to realise who she was, and when he did he looked away. But Cara didn't move, she just stood there offering her hand, and when Loki looked back at her, she smiled. Cara saw how Loki started to cry but she didn't move or say anything, all she could do was offer her help. She could not drag him away from Fandral, this was a choice he needed to make himself.  
Cara saw how unsure Loki was about it. Fandral was a terrible person, but he had gotten used to him, he knew what he got and he didn't need to think, feel or act around him. She offered him freedom, love and a second chance, but sometimes that was even scarier, she knew that.

"I am sorry Loki" Fandral said when he calmed down. "We can try agai…"  
He stopped when he turned around and saw Cara standing there.  
"What do you think you are doing?" he asked her before he looked at Loki "And you? Don't dare to move!"  
"I think I am standing here" Cara said with a smile, but she didn't say anything to Loki.  
"Get out!" Fandral shouted and walked towards her. "He came to me!"  
"I am aware of that" Cara told Fandral.  
"And you still want him? You want someone's else's trash?" he asked and laughed.  
"What may be one man's trash is another ones treasure" she only said and looked towards Loki with a smile.  
"Never thought you was this funny" Fandral said and laughed.  
"You can often miss that when you are focused on hating someone" Cara said in a mocking way.  
"I told you not to move!" Fandral shouted and pointed at Loki who had been moving. Loki looked at Fandral then at Cara, not sure what to do. "Don't look at her!"  
Fandral walked over and grabbed Loki's hair again and forced him onto his knees.  
"Shall we show her how we are doing it?" Fandral whispered in Loki's ear, as he was looking at Cara who didn't say anything. She just stood there, waiting for Loki to make a move. "I take that as a yes"  
At those words Fandral made Loki lean further back and Fandral gave him a forced kiss, as his hand was slowly sliding down Loki's chest. Cara forced away every emotion and thought as she stood there, forcing herself to only stand there and waiting for Loki. But she started to lose hope, she was fearing that she would need to leave here without Loki. She was about to turn around and walk away when Loki pushed Fandral away and gave her a look and Cara smiled. She offered him her hand again, he took it and she helped him to his feet. As soon as Loki was standing next to her he hugged her.  
"Come back here Loki!" Fandral shouted and Cara looked at him, before she even threw him into the wall and he became unconscious.

"I am sorry" Loki whispered to her and she just hugged him back.  
"It's alright. You don't need to apologize" Cara told him.  
"But…but I returned to him. I couldn't resist. Everything felt so hopeless and…"  
"I know Loki. That's why you don't need to apologize. I have done the same. But it's okay, we take one step at the time" she told him and he nodded.  
"You aren't mad?" he asked.  
"I am not mad. I was worried, that I will admit. But I cannot be mad at you for this. Can't say the same about the others though" Cara said and Loki looked at her.  
"What did you do?" he asked.  
"I threw your nephew into the wall" she said and Loki smiled a week smile.  
"What am I going to do? After what I did to them?" he asked.  
"They only have themselves to blame. You asked them to stop" she said, not even thinking about defending the others. "But I do think you could need a paus away from all of them"  
"Do you want to lock me up?" Loki asked and gave her a scared look.  
"No" she said and took his hands. "I was more thinking of that maybe we should take a trip for a few days"  
"A trip?" Loki asked, and he was very unsure. "I am not sure. I…I would need to leave the tower. And I don't know if I or we would be safe out there"  
Cara thought about it. She knew that it would be harder to protect Loki outside the tower, but she really felt that he needed to get away for a few days, away from the people.  
"I know a place where we will be safe" she told him in a kind voice. "If you want to go?"  
"The twins" Loki started and she knew that he was scared.  
"I am sure that Frigga can take care of them. But if you don't want to go, I will not force you"  
Cara could tell that Loki thought about it. She saw the fear in his eyes, but also a curiosity of seeing a new place.  
"Will I be safe there?" he asked.  
"Can't promise, but I can't really promise it here either. But what I can promise you is that it's as safe there as here" Cara told him and Loki nodded.  
"Can we return whenever I…we feel like it?" he asked, and Cara could tell that he didn't want to be, too much of a trouble, therefor said we instead of I.  
"We can" Cara informed him and Loki slowly nodded.  
"Then I can try" he said and she smiled and held his hand as they left Fandral's cell.

* * *

Cara had walked past the others without looking at them, she felt that Loki was a bit hesitated over what he should do, but Cara didn't let him stop. Normally she would have let Loki decide that, but she felt like the others didn't deserve to explain themselves right now. And she felt like Loki had nothing to apologize for. She knew that she shouldn't make those decisions for Loki, but she was to mad to care.  
"Cara is everything alright?" Loki carefully asked and she looked at him.  
"No it's not" she told him, knowing he would know if she lied anyway.

"I am sorry" he said and Cara stopped.  
"Loki you have nothing to apologize for. I told you that. It's the other ones I am mad at" she explained in a kind voice and Loki slowly nodded. Cara didn't say anything more before she walked over to the room Frigga was staying in and knocked.

Frigga opened the door looking at them.  
"Is everything alright?" she asked at ones and Cara smiled at her.  
"Let's just say that people in this tower need to think before they act or talk" she said.  
"What did they do?" Frigga asked.  
"Nothing good. But that's not why we are here"  
"That I could have guessed. So what can I help you with?" Frigga asked, smiling towards both of them.  
"We were wondering if you could watch over the twins a few days?" Cara asked and Frigga gave her a surprised look.  
"Has something happened?"  
"We are going on a trip, that's all. Felt like we needed a few days away from the tower" Cara smiled towards her, but Loki looked away in shame.  
"That sounds lovely, I hope you have a great time. And I would love to spend some time with my youngest grandchildren" Frigga said with a smile.  
"Thank you" Cara hugged her and Frigga smiled before she looked over to Loki.  
"Can I hug you?" she asked and Loki backed away from her, and Cara could see how much it hurt Frigga.  
"I am sorry mother" Loki whispered, trying not to cry.  
"Nothing to apologize for. When you feel like you are ready to give me a hug again, I will give you one" Frigga smiled towards her youngest son, who only nodded.  
"Then let's tell the twins, and the others" Cara said and offered Loki her hand and he took it.

* * *

When they had talked to the twins, who was a bit worried that they wouldn't come back at first, and then got sad that they couldn't come with them, overcome it when they said they would spend time with Frigga. The twins got really happy, hearing that they would have some time alone with Frigga.

After talking to the twins, Cara had only informed the others that they would be gone a few days. Loki had only stood next to her without saying a word, and the others didn't say much either. Cara could tell that they actually were very unsure, almost scared. She didn't know if it was because of her or Loki. And she knew that they would need to fix that when they got back, but she would let them think over it while they were gone. After saying goodbye to them she took Loki's hand and teleported them.

* * *

They landed on the foot of a hill with a big house on top of it. Cara could tell that Loki got unsure right away, it being a new place and all. So she took his hand and smiled towards him.  
"Let's go" she said and started walking towards the house. The small path in front of them was covered with grass, and the trees next to the path was growing wild. No one cared to look after it anymore.  
"Where are we?" Loki asked as he looked around.  
"We are in England" Cara answered him and he gave her a questioning look, but she didn't say anything else as they kept walking. Loki didn't question her about it, and she was grateful for it.  
"Is that a cemetery?" Loki asked as they pasted the first fence and she nodded. "Why is there a cemetery here? Does it belong to the house?"  
Cara was glad that Loki asked questions, since it was who he was, he wanted to know stuff. And she had knew that he would ask questions when they got here, she just wasn't too happy answering them.  
"It does belong to the house. The last owners are buried there" Cara answered him and Loki waited for her to say something more. "The big one over there would be my grandfather and his parents. And this one would be my mother. Neither of them are people I have met or mourned, so no need to be sorry"  
Loki looked at her, then the graves and then the house.  
"Is this where you grew up?" Loki asked her and she nodded. "I can't ask you to go in there! Not after…"  
Loki didn't know what to say and Cara looked at him with a smile.  
"Don't you worry about it. It's just a house, I never hated the house, just the people in it" she explained and it was true. She had actually loved the house. The memory of the people was what destroyed it.  
"You do not need to do this" Loki stopped her as she tried to start walking again.  
"I know that I don't need to do this, but I want to do this. You needed a break from it all and…" she started and looked at the house. "And I need to face my own demons or something"  
Cara said it with a smile, but she didn't mean it. Loki walked up to her and hesitated before he gave her a hug.  
"Are you sure? I am sorry if I am forcing you to do this. We can go back…" Loki said and Cara shook her head.  
"It's fine. Don't you worry about it. Let's make some new memories in the house." She said and took his hand as they started walking. "And I have seen where you grew up so it's only fair if you see where I grew up."  
At those words Loki rolled his eyes at her and followed her towards the house.

Cara walked past the 4 barriers protecting the house, with Loki next to her, very careful with not letting go of his hands, not wanting him to get hurt. When they arrived at the door she stopped and took a deep breath. Loki was watching her, she could tell and she put the hand on the door and a snake come out of it. Cara looked at it and held her hand in front of it.  
"What are you doing?" Loki asked her.  
"Letting it bite me. It's the last protection. If you somehow manage to get past the barriers, you need to have the right blood. To my father, right blood was one of the most important things. He was very proud that we are related to an old powerful wizard, something he liked to tell people. Anyway you can't get into the house without the right blood, or the permission of the owner, in this case me"  
"Right blood?" Loki asked.  
"Right, forgetting that people don't know about this. Well in the magic world I grew up, there is tree type of people. You have Pure-bloods, people with only magic in their blood, Muggles, people without magic in the blood, and half-bloods, who has either ancestors who are muggles or one parents that are." Cara explained as she opened the door and walked in. The hallway was dark, until she lit the room with magic.  
"And you are Pure-blood?" Loki asked and Cara laughed.  
"No I am not. Even if it was important to my father, he wasn't either. His mother fell a love with a muggle, and to make a long story short, she used magic to be with him. Got pregnant with my father. When my grandmother stopped using magic to control my grandfather he left her. She died giving birth to my father. And he killed my grandfather when he was 16. My mother was pure-blood, but it doesn't make my pure-blood" she explained.  
"Is that good or bad?" Loki asked as her.  
"Depends on who you are asking. To make another story short, my father started the war to rule over the muggles. The other side who excepts them fought against him. Their side don't care about your blood. Not like this side did. I guess I had a high status, despite only being half-blood. Since I am the dark princess" she said in ironic voice.  
"My princess" Loki teased her and Cara smiled towards him.  
"It's great to hear you tease me, I have missed that. But if you ever start calling me princess I will kill you" Cara warned him and Loki just gave her a look before he started laughing and she sighed and walked into the kitchen to lit even that room.  
"Sorry for laughing" Loki said as he walked after her.  
"At least I made you laugh" Cara said and smiled towards him and Loki nodded.  
"So feel like showing me around?" he asked.  
"It's no palace, but I can do that" she answered and took his hand.

"You did see the hallway and this if you didn't notice it, is the kitchen" she said and Loki nodded.  
"I didn't notice" he said in a sarcastic voice.  
"Then it's good that I am here to inform you then" she said in an equal sarcastic voice as she started walking. "The dining room, nothing to special and hardly used. My father didn't need to eat and he rarely eat with me. Normally it was my godfather who did when he was here, and we ate in the kitchen"  
Loki only nodded and Cara walked on.  
"This was the room my father normally had his meetings in, talking about taking over the world, giving orders and stuff like that" Cara said and looked at the dark room. She saw a map of the world on the table, with papers with notes on it. Loki read from one of them.  
"He sounded ambitious" Loki said and looked at her.  
"He was" she admitted and they kept walking. She showed him the library, guest rooms and the living room.  
"What's down there?" Loki asked and pointed at some stairs leading down.  
"The prison cells" Cara answered and kept walking up to the second floor and Loki took her hand without saying anything. Cara was grateful towards him.  
"This was my godfathers room" she stopped in front of a door. "I can't go in there right now"  
"There is no need" Loki said as he heard the sorrow in her voice and she nodded.  
"My father's room" Cara said as the kept walking, but she just passed it and then stopped at the door at the end of the corridor.  
"This is my room" Cara said and opened the door and they walked in.

The room looked like it had the last time she was in there. The furniture in the room all went in black. The walls were dark, so was the floor. The only thing with colour was a white carpet on the floor. She walked over to the book, stilly laying on the bed.  
"A bit dark" Loki said with a teasing voice and she looked at him.  
"Um yeah" Cara answered and picked up the book and put it back in its place.  
"Cara" Loki only said and walked over to her and she looked at him.  
"Loki" she answered him and actually smiled.  
"We can go back" Loki said once more.  
"I will be fine. Don't you worry. And I actually think we both needed sometime away from the tower" Cara told him and Loki gave her a look. "I know that they are trying, but sometimes I think they are doing things worse on purpose"  
At those words Loki looked down in shame and Cara guessed it was because over how he had handled the situation, and then returned to Fandral. Cara just hugged him, she felt like no words was needed. They just stood there a few minutes before Loki kissed her forehead, very carefully, afraid that she would mind, but she just smiled towards him, and he relaxed a bit.  
"Told you that you don't need to worry when you do stuff like that" she said in a friendly voice.  
"But after earlier, I thought you may not want me to touch you" he said in a low voice and Cara laughed a friendly voice.  
"I don't mind that, so no need to worry" Cara told him.  
"How can you not mind?" Loki asked her, almost angry.  
"Why would I mind? Loki I told you that I have done that too. You often do, sometimes it feels easier to go back then leave." She looked him the eyes. "But please talk to me the next time instead. I don't want to see you hurt"  
At those words Loki started to cry.  
"Let's sit down" she said and they walked over to the couch in the room and Loki let his head rest against her lap. Cara stroke his hair and let him take the time he needed to calm down.

Loki calmed down a while later and he smiled a weak smile.  
"How about forgetting everything that happened in the tower for a while?" she asked and Loki nodded.  
"I will try" he answered her, and Cara smiled. That was all she could ask him to do. She just hopped that he could forget about it for a few days at least.  
"What is this?" Loki asked and she looked at what he was holding.  
"A photo album" she answered and Loki gave her a curious look. "Feel free to open it"  
Loki sat up next to her and rested his head against her shoulder as he started to look through it.  
"The pictures are moving?" he asked surprised.  
"Pictures in the magic world does that" she only answered him, for her it was a normal thing.  
"You are so small" he said and looked at the first pictures of her as a kid.  
"Well children normally are. And I am around 2 here" Cara said and looked at the pictures of her and her godfather. "That's my godfather, Severus Snape"  
"He looks like a kind man" Loki said and Cara only nodded and Loki kept looking at the pictures of her as a kid. Cara looked at the pictures remembering all the memories and smiled a little. It was her birthdays; she was cooking food with her godfather, her collecting things in the forest. Things normal kids did.  
"It looks like you were happy" Loki told her.  
"I was. As long as I was with Sev I was always happy. The times with my father wasn't as happily, that's why they aren't in here" she explained when Loki looked at the photos.

"Is this the school you went to?" he asked and pointed at a castle.  
"It's Hogwarts" Cara confirmed and Loki took his time looking through them all. Asking question about classes or places and Cara had a nice time. She hadn't thought about those memoires in years, and seeing Loki relaxing and wanting to know more about her made her happy.  
"Who are they?" Loki had stopped at a pictures of her and her friends and at once all the happiness was gone, which Loki noticed. "Forget that I asked."  
He was about to turn to the next page when she stopped him.  
"The girl with the brown hair is Hermione, the two guys next to her is Ron and Harry" Cara said and pointed at them. "Harry died at the war, my father's enemy. Hermione and Ron survived, the war, I don't know if they are alive now"  
Cara then returned to the picture.  
"That's Blaise, he moved away when the war started. That's Simon" Cara paused as she looked at the man with silver hair. "He was my fiancé, the one that my father murdered"  
Loki took her hand and smiled towards her.  
"And him?" Loki asked and pointed at the blond man in the picture and Cara looked away.  
"That's Draco, the man my father wanted me to marry, the man that was Minna's father and the man that raped me" she just said and at those words she felt how Loki got angry before he closed the book and took her into his arms.  
"Is he alive?" Loki asked.  
"I don't know, and I don't care. As long as I never need to see him again" Cara told him and Loki kissed her forehead again.  
"Want me to kill him if he is?" Loki offered and Cara couldn't help but laugh and Loki looked down as he did something wrong.  
"Oh don't look down Loki. It's very sweet of you to ask, but there is no need to kill him. He isn't worth the time" she explained and leaned against his chest, and they just sat there, two broken souls holding each other. Cara felt a bit guilty for making Loki comfort her, she was supposed to be the one helping him, not the other way around. But then she smiled, maybe it helped him, he was starting to become more like himself, or at least like he was when he was around her.

"Cara?" Loki asked and she looked up and nodded. "When did you stop being scared?"  
At first Cara didn't know if she should answer him, she wasn't sure she could give him an answer he would like or not. She could lie, but she didn't like to lie to Loki. And he often saw right threw her.  
"I never stopped being scared. I am not scared all the time, but the fear that one of the people I have crossed paths with will find me, is always there in the back" she admitted.  
"So it will never go away?" Loki whispered.  
"Can't say. It's different for everyone. Some people get rid of the fear, I just think I have pissed off to many people to feel safe" she said with a joyless smile.  
"I wish I can make you feel safe one day" Loki admitted, before he realised what he had said and looked away, but Cara hugged him.  
"You make me feel safe Loki" she informed him.  
"You are to kind, but please don't pity me" Loki told her.  
"I wouldn't do that. It's the truth Loki, I do feel safe around you. You don't need to do anything for me to feel safe, nothing else then being there" Cara said, and she meant it. Being around Loki always made her feel safe, no matter how Loki himself felt.  
"I…" Loki started "I don't understand. How can you feel safe around me? I can't protect you, I am useless, I am a monster and I am a villain remember, I hurt people"  
"You did protect me, remember? You stopped Fury, and you protected me from my father, years ago. And you aren't a monster Loki, I will never think you are" Cara told him and then smiled. "Yes you are a villain, and yes you hurt people, but that doesn't bother me. You don't hurt me, and that's all that matters. I mean I am pretty sure that people call me a villain too, but I don't care about that either. People can call me whatever they want, because they don't mean anything to me. I only care what the people I like thinks of me"  
Loki didn't answer, she knew that he still didn't believe what she said, and it would take a long time for him to do that. You remembered the mean things people said over the kind things, and replacing all the mean words with kind ones took years.  
"Did you feel like this too?" Loki asked her and she nodded.  
"I did. People have made me think I am not worthy to live, that I am a monster. That I am in the way, useless and that no one wants me" Cara admitted. But the feeling she felt the most was that she failed as a mother. Getting her own daughter killed, she was the worst. But she didn't say that to Loki, afraid he would think the same about himself. But his case was different, he wasn't there, he couldn't have saved his children.  
"But you aren't any of those things" Loki said and Cara smiled.  
"I know. The people who have saved me told me" she said and Loki slowly nodded.  
"How long did it take until you believed them?" he asked.  
"Can't say. It was different every time. Everything depended on who hurt me, for how long and who saved me" Cara told him.  
"You know that I want to believe you?" Loki asked and she smiled.  
"I know, but don't force it. Give it time" she took his hand and he nodded.

"I thought about what you said yesterday" Loki started and she looked at him. "About being who ever I want to be. Can I be different around different people?"  
"You already are" she said and Loki gave her a puzzled look. "You aren't the same around everyone. You are a father around the twins, you are very kind and thoughtful around Frigga, not wanting to worry her. You are often more teasing or judging around Thor, you are careful and a bit unsure around the avengers and around me, well you are just however you want to be"  
"What if I don't want to be like that?" Loki asked and Cara laughed.  
"Then you change. But trust me Loki, thinking about this isn't going to help you. It's going to make you more confused. Just be however you like to be. And don't care about what people think, if they don't like you for you, then you don't keep them in your life" she told him. She really didn't want him to force himself, and Loki slowly nodded.

"Cara?" Loki asked and she met his eyes. "I…I am just glad that you are by my side"  
"I will always be by your side" she told him and Loki smiled and kissed her forehead again and she smiled towards him. Cara was glad that Loki felt safe enough around her to do that, and she loved the contact. She had missed his touch. And the smallest things could make her happy.

"How about some food?" Cara asked after a few minutes and Loki looked at her and she saw that he was about to answer her when he stopped. Cara met his gaze with a puzzled look, not understanding why he stopped. She saw how he leaned forward and stopped right in front of her lips. She could feel his breath against her lips and it tickled. Loki looked at her, asking for her permission and she smiled.  
"If you feel that you are ready, it's…" Cara didn't finish the sentence before she felt Loki's lips on hers. They reminded her of snow, like it always had in the past. Cara remembered all the times they have had in Asgard and she felt the familiar butterflies in her stomach. She got lost in the moment, forgetting about everything around her. Cara felt how she wanted more, she wanted to feel Loki's hair between her fingers, she wanted to pull him close and feel his hands up on her body, but she didn't act. This was a big step for Loki and she didn't want to scare him, so she left him control everything.

When Loki pulled away he was very unsure, but Cara just smiled before she laughed a happy smile.  
"Okay" she just finished the sentence and Loki looked at her before he laughed too. Cara took his hand and smiled when they stopped laughing.  
"So food?" she asked and Loki nodded. They both stood up and went towards the kitchen.


	25. Back in New York

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the last chapter finally. I have written on it the hole week, re-written it and then re-written it again. And I am sorry that it took so long. But hopefully you will like it. I am very happy with it. And well it did become a bit romantic, almost ridicules romantic at some parts, but hey I like being cheesy sometimes. So I hope you like it too. It's a bit shorter then the last chapters, but hope it's good enough not to bother you.
> 
> And the end. Well it isn't as good as the start, but I hope you like it anyway.
> 
> And the next chapter will involve Hel and the others, so hope you like it!
> 
> I will also inform you that I may post less chapters from now on. I will try to post at least one chapter each week, and hopefully more, but don't be to surprised if that doesn't happen. I have a lot to do right now but yeah.
> 
> So that's all, hope you enjoy the chapter!

"Loki" Cara called out as she walked through the house. She had woken up alone in the bed and it scared her. She tried to stay calm, not let her imagination run away with her, but it was hard. All she could see was the horrible things that could have happened to Loki. What if they hadn't been safe her at all? Cara hadn't really known, she had just hoped that they would. She was afraid that it was her fault that Loki was taken. Then she shook his head, she wasn't sure he was missing. He could be somewhere in the house. Even if they had explored the house the past week, there was still more to see, and Loki was a person thirsty for knowledge. Cara had been so happy to see him more like himself the past week. He was curious, he had been relaxing, talking more and even teasing and joking with her. Seeing him like that had made her smile so much. And she was glad that they had taken the trip, Loki had needed it, she had needed it. But if they had been able to capture Loki, it wasn't worth it anymore. She cursed herself for being so stupid, to let her guard down.

"Loki" she called out again, hoping to get an answer, because if she did, it meant that he was still in the house. But as she looked through the second floor and didn't get an answer or saw him, made it almost impossible not to worry. Cara tried to comfort herself with the fact that there was no trace of a battle, but she knew that it didn't need to mean anything. She had learned a long time ago, that covering the truth with a bitter sweet lie, was never good. So no trace of a battle could be good, but it could also mean that the person that took Loki, was really good.

"Loki" Cara called out once more when she walked down the stairs to the bottom floor. And as he didn't answer her, she became really worried. She knew that it was a big house and you didn't always hear someone calling out for you, but she started to run out of room he could be in. And she felt that if he didn't hear her for some reason, she should have found him by know. And now she felt the panic start raising and she took a deep breath, knowing that it wouldn't help her at all to act in panic. She still had a few more rooms to look in before she could confirm that he was gone.

Cara started walking towards the other rooms when she saw something in the corner of her eye. She slowly turned around and stood there in fear. It caught her off guard and at ones all rational thoughts were gone. If she had been thinking she had understood that it was Loki's doing, he had opened the door down to the dungeon. But she didn't think of that, all Cara thought of was the demons of the past, getting out from the door. She knew it was illogical, there was no one behind the door, but it felt like it had been a wall between her and the past. And with open it was like nothing protected her. Cara slowly walked closer, prepared to run away if she needed, not wanting to get stuck down there ever again. She stopped at the top of the stairs, Cara started to realize that it was Loki who had opened the door, did it mean he was down there?

"Loki" she called for him, no answer and Cara didn't know what to do. The most logical was that it was Loki down there, but why didn't he answer her? Didn't he hear her? Was he hurt? That thought almost made her run down the stairs, but she stopped herself. What if it was a trap? What if someone wanted to trap her down there again, and was using Loki to do it. What if Loki was the one wanting to trap her. But she shook her head, Loki would never do that, she trusted him. But Cara wasn't sure if someone else would do it. She didn't think anyone else could get into the house. Except maybe Odin, but would he really get through the trouble? At those words Cara almost laughed, way was she thinking he wouldn't do something like that. But I it was Odin, and he had Loki she needed to at least try to save him.

Cara closed her eyes for a second before she slowly started walking down the stairs, one step a time, forcing herself to continue, for Loki's sake. She listened for sounds that would revile a trap, or something else. She wasn't sure what she expected, and she didn't think logical, the fear was slowly taking over. Cara had never thought she would walk down this steps again, wanting to never see the dungeon, ever again.

When she got to the bottom she was really pale, and she had to stop herself from shivering, as all the memories washed over her. The smell from the wet rocks, the coldness, the sound of torches burning, it had been all she knew for years. She knew that her cell was around the corner, but she needed to prepare herself, not knowing if she would end up there again. But if Cara could save Loki, it would be worth it. If he now needed saving, maybe he was fine.

Cara walked around the corner, and even if she had thought that Loki would be fine she hadn't expected it. She expected to see Odin standing there, laughing as he hurt Loki before he threw her into the cell. But Loki stood there, caught in thoughts staring at her cell. She felt relieved that he was safe, and if she had been standing somewhere else, she had been smiling.  
"Loki" Cara whispering in a scared voice. Draco had told her never to talk, she knew what would happen if she did. Something in her head said that Draco wasn't here and she could talk, the fear was to great, even after all these years. Her father had never cared if she talked or not, maybe it was because he knew that she was into much pain, or that he loved to see her try to defend herself. She had tried to talk to them in the beginning, begging, asking, anything, but nothing had worked. So finally Cara had stopped talking, the fear took over, and she gave up. They won, and she did what they wanted. So talking down here, right now was really scared, with all the memories in her head.

"Loki?" Cara asked in a low voice as she walked closer to him. He hadn't seemed to hear her the first time. As she walked closer Loki turned around to face her and she stopped.  
"Hi" Loki said and Cara saw that he had been crying, and she got worried. Why had he been crying? Had something happened? Was he hurt? Was he scared? Why was he even down here?  
"Cara are you alright?" Loki asked and she gave him a questioning look. "You are very pale"  
"Oh" was all that she could answer. "I am fine"  
That was a lie, and Loki knew it right away, he didn't even need to be the god of lies to see that. She hadn't tried to hide the fact that she wasn't alright all too well. She wasn't in a state where she could do that.

Loki walked closer and slowly pulled her into a hug, giving her the time to stop him, but she didn't. Soon she felt his arms around her, he didn't say anything and neither did she. They just stood there in the light from the torch. Cara closed her eyes, trying to forget about all the scenes that were playing in her head, but she couldn't. She could never forget them, not fully. She looked them away in her mind, wanting to never think of them. She had met people who had hurt her more than Draco and her father did. But their betrayal and treatment would always be the one that hurt the most, since she had trusted them. And after the years down here, she trusted few people, and it took a long time to get her trust.

"Cara?" Loki asked and pulled her away from her thoughts, she didn't look at him, instead she looked at her cell. The familiar bars that had stopped her from escaping, hurting her if she even touched them. The walls that was painted with her blood. The blanket that had been her bed and the potty that had been her toilet. It was all so premature, like she was an animal in a cage, which was how they had treated her. Cara's eyes stopped on the dried blood on the floor, the spot where Minna had died. She couldn't stop herself from crying, the sorrow took over, the fear she had felt was nothing compared to the sorrow she felt over losing her daughter. Loki hugged her closer and she hugged him back.

"Loki…why are…you down…here?" Cara asked between her sobs and Loki stroke her hair, trying to comfort her.  
"I wanted to understand" Loki started "I wanted to understand what happened to you, and how someone could do that to you"  
Cara was really surprised to hear those words, and the honest in them. She wasn't surprised that Loki was honest, he was almost always honest with her, but to hear how much he wanted to understand shocked her. People had tried to understand before, but never this much. Cara didn't know what to answer him so she just pulled him closer to her, but Loki seemed to understand.  
"I am sorry if I made you go down here" Loki said and Cara shook her head, not be able to answer him. "I just wanted to see if I could find some answers"  
"Did you?" she asked in a low voice.  
"Not particular. I read some of your fathers not, hope you don't mind" Loki said and she shook her head, she didn't care about that. "And I admit, he made me very confused, he wanted you to marry this guy to be safe and have a good life. He seemed to want you to be happy and safe. Clearly showing that he cared on some level. Wanting the best for you. But he also wanted you to do as he says, not caring if you would love Draco or not. He wanted you to give him a grandchild that could continue his work, since you didn't want to. And at some points he seemed fine with that, wanting you to do what you felt like. He seemed to been struggle at first, on how to handle the situation. Until he decided that having a grandchild, and a daughter that did what she was told was more important than your happiness. And I can't understand why."

Cara still didn't say anything, what was there to say? Even if her father had wanted her to be happy at some point, he had not followed that path. Power was more impotent to him, and it wasn't like she would ever forgive him for what he did, or understand him.  
"Compared to Odin who have hated me from the start, playing with me and my feelings, your father seemed to love you at some point. So that's why I have a harder time understanding how he could do this. Odin had no problem to do what he did. He hated me, he didn't even need to convince himself. But your father had to do that, and I can't understand how you can convince yourself to hurt your child" Loki's voice was full of sorrow and anger.  
"Power changes people" Cara answered him and Loki just hugged her again.  
"Wish I could have stopped him earlier" Loki told her and Cara met his eyes for the first time.  
"You did stop him, that all that matters" she said and smiled a weak smile towards him.  
"I would stop whoever you want me to stop" Loki said and leaned forward and was about to kiss her when she stopped him. Loki lowered his head at once, and he was about to apologize.  
"Just not here Loki. You can kiss me whenever you feel like it, I will not stop you, but please just not here" she said in a low voice and Loki seemed to understand. He met her eyes again and smiled.  
"Then let's get out of here" he said and took her hand and started to walk upstairs.

* * *

Cara sat in the kitchen with a cup of tea in front of her. Loki had seemed that she wasn't alright, that the visit in the dungeon had shaken her up. Cara hadn't said anything, still trying to forget about it. So Loki had walked over to the kitchen, thinking that food would help her, or rather chocolate cookies and she had smiled towards him. She loved chocolate, especially in cookies and Loki had apparently decided to make her some.  
"You know that I don't blame you" Cara said without looking at Loki.  
"I know" he answered her as he read the recipe "Can't stop from blaming myself though. I should have thought before I walked down. I would not be too happy to return to my cell"

Cara looked at Loki's back and she saw that he fought the thought of returning.  
"I would never let you return there, and if you end up there again, I will either be there with you or help you escape again" she said and Loki turned towards her.  
"Please don't end up there with me" he said "Not only because your cell is better than mine, you would be disappointed. But also because then Thor would be our only hope and we would never be free again"  
At those words Cara laughed and Loki looked happy to hear her laugh again.  
"Let's hope that we don't need to relay on only Thor to save us" she said and Loki nodded before he returned to the cookies and she looked down in the cup.

She didn't say anything as Loki was baking, it reminded her of her godfather, he had also baked for her when she was sad. Cara did really miss him, him and Simon being the only people from her early life that she was missing, both being dead. Cara rarely admitted it, but she was always afraid of losing the people around her. She had lost so many already, and she was scared of ending up alone. Afraid that the darkness would take her and she would never find a way out. Cara looked at Loki who was concentrating and smiled, she was glad that he was at her side again. She had thought that he had lost him once, and it had almost destroyed her. She had a hard time keep going after that, she was just lucky that she had founded new friends. Friends who no longer was alive. She hated that she lived longer than other people, always forcing her to lose them to old age if nothing else happened. Cara was wondering how long it would take until she lost Loki again. But maybe she wouldn't outlive him, him being a good and all, maybe he would outlive her, but she hopped that wouldn't happen, not wanting to leave him. And…

Her thoughts come to a stop when she felt a finger with dough on her nose. Cara looked up in surprise to see Loki standing there with the bowl and a smile.  
"Stopped you, didn't I?" he asked and she tilted her head, not understanding. "From thinking too much"  
"That you did" Cara admitted and smiled as she took Loki's finger from her nose and putted it in her mouth and licked away the dough. She did it without thinking and when she did she looked at Loki in horror. She hadn't mean to do something like that, afraid that she would scare him.  
"Loki I am sorry" she said and he gave her a smile and leaned forward and kissed her.  
"Nothing to worry about Cara. I know that you will never hurt me" he admitted and she smiled at him. "I trust you"  
"I would never hurt you, but I don't want to do anything you don't want to" she said and Loki sat down with the bowl.  
"I trust you not to. I know that you will never do anything I don't want to. That's why I am not afraid to be near you, or when you touch me." He took her hand and she smiled, she didn't need to say anything, her face showed how happy she was to hear those words. To know how much Loki trusted her. She leaned forward slowly, giving Loki time to step away, but he didn't and she smiled as she kissed him. This was the first time she kissed him first. Before that she had always left it up to Loki, so he did what he was ready to do. But she was happy to be able to kiss him first too. When she leaned back again Loki gave her a smile to show that it was okay.

Cara nodded and then looked down at the bowl.  
"They don't bake themselves you know" she teased and Loki rolled her eyes.  
"I do know that. But I can't figure out how to use the oven" Loki admitted and Cara laughed.  
"Sorry I forgot that it's a magical oven, not a muggle one" she said and took the bowl.  
"Are you calling me a muggle?" Loki asked and Cara placed the dough on a baking sheet.  
"No, you are a magician, don't worry. But that doesn't mean you know how to use our things" she said and started the oven just as she placed the cookies in it.  
"It's because they are illogical" Loki said and Cara nodded.  
"That they are. Most of the wizards and witches in this world don't know logic. That's why it could so easy bring them down" Cara informed him.  
"For real?" Loki asked surprised.  
"For real."  
"But without logic it…then…all…" Loki lost his words and Cara laughed.  
"Good for you that this isn't the first time I meet you, and that I know that you actually have a silver tongue" Cara teased and Loki gave her a look.  
"I am just surprised" he admitted and she nodded.  
"I could tell. And yes to people outside the community it's surprising. But I guess they all just are used to it" Cara said and smiled when the cookies was ready and she took the out of the oven.  
"That was fast" Loki said.  
"Magic" Cara just answered and placed the cookies and some milk on the table before she sat down to take one.

* * *

Sitting there in the kitchen with Loki, eating cookies and laughing made Cara feel a lot better. She started to become herself again and Loki noticed and looked proud.  
"Yes you did a good job" Cara teased.  
"Always do" Loki answered and she just rolled her eyes at him. "I saw that"  
"You did? Thought you wouldn't. I mean you are sitting in front of me, so I thought I could hide it" Cara teased and Loki just smiled at her and took another cookie. Cara had really missed the teasing, she hopped Loki would feel safe enough to do it once they got back too.

"Cara?" Loki asked and she nodded. "I have been thinking about Hel"  
"What about her?" she asked. It wasn't usual for Loki to bring her up, and Cara had almost felt like Loki accepted that his daughter was lost to him.  
"Her birthday is coming up" he started "And I am thinking of visiting her. Would you care to company me?"  
"It is? Well if I can get there without dying or like the last time I would love to visit her again" she said and Loki smiled.  
"I think she would appreciate it. She can't leave her realm, but it doesn't mean I can't visit her" Loki said and Cara nodded. She had guessing that Loki would have a way to visit his daughter. "Do you think she would like it?"  
Cara heard that Loki was a bit unsure about it, most likely afraid that Hel would blame her for something.  
"She would love to see you again, just like all of your children would. They love you very much Loki. And for you to visit them would mean a lot to them" she told him and Loki slowly nodded before he smiled.  
"And I love them" he said.  
"I know you do" Cara smiled towards him. She knew that Loki loved his children over everything- That's why she was so mad at Odin for using them against him.  
"So when is her birthday?" Cara asked.  
"In a few weeks" Loki informed her.  
"Then we have time to find her a present" Cara said and though of what the ruler of the dead would like.  
"That we do" Loki said and they started talking about what to give her.

* * *

After eating all the cookies, and thinking of what to give Hel they started to get ready to leave the house. They both knew that they needed to return to the tower, but they both was actually a bit scared to do so. They didn't know how the Avengers would react. They hadn't left on good terms. Cara guessed that in worse case they could take the twins and return here. But she didn't want to do that, she actually missed the tower and the Avengers. Sure they could drive her mad, and make her angry, but she had started to like them. They did mean well; it just didn't always end up that way. And Cara guessed that Loki had starting to like them too, especially since he didn't kill them the last time. This was a guess, nothing she had solid proof of, but he didn't protest upon returning. He could have asked to just get the twins and return here, but he didn't.

When they had packed a few things from the house and they felt ready Cara took Loki's hand and transferred them back to the tower. They landed on the roof without a sound. They both looked out over New York, who was as busy as ever. After a week on the countryside the city seemed bigger than before.  
"Are you ready?" Cara asked Loki when he looked at her and he nodded. "We are in this together"  
Cara took Loki's hand, she knew that he was nervous, and on some level was she. She wanted this to go well, she really did. But she was prepared for the worst and protecting Loki and the twins come first. She just hopped that everything would go well. She didn't know how the Avengers would react. Them being away for a week could have given them time to regret what happened, but it could also give them time to become hostile, realising that it was a bad idea to have Loki in the tower. Cara gave Loki a smile when she opened the door and went inside.

* * *

"Welcome back Lady Cara and mister Loki" Jarvis said as they got down from the stairs.  
"Hi Jarvis" Cara said in a friendly voice.  
"The twins are with Lady Frigga, playing in their room. The others are down on the training ground" Jarvis informed them.  
"Thank you Jarvis. May I ask you to be so kind not to tell the others that we are here yet?"  
"Of course Lady Cara, I will give you some time" Jarvis said and Cara smiled and they walked towards the twins room. Cara looked at Loki who walked next to her, and she could tell that he was glad to see the twins again, and so was she. When they got to the door Cara knocked and soon Váli opened the door, and first he just stared at them before he run towards Loki.  
"Father" he screamed and laughed as he run into Loki's arms, and soon Narfi came running too.  
"We have missed you" Narfi said with a big smile.  
"I or we have missed you too" Loki said and the twins looked at Cara and smiled too.  
"Mother" they said and ran over to her to.  
"Hi" Cara said and hugged them.  
"I am happy that you are back" Frigga said and they looked at her with a smile. "I don't think they could have waited much longer before they wanted to look for you"  
Cara and Loki looked at the twins who just laughed.  
"Come and look what we have done" the twins said and took their hands as they walked into the room. They stopped in front of a big puzzles, covering most of the floor, showing all four of them.  
"Where did the photo come from?" Cara asked a bit surprised and looked at Loki who didn't seem to know.  
"Jarvis took it. It's from when we surprised you with dinner" Narfi said and Cara smiled, not surprise that Jarvis had a photo to give them.  
"Do you like it?" Váli asked.  
"We love it" Loki said "Thank you"

The twins smiled wide and looked at Frigga.  
"They loved it" the said and she laughed.  
"I heard that. And I told you they would" Frigga said and turned to the grown up.  
"It's good to see you again" She said and hugged Cara before she turned to Loki to see if he would accept the hug, and when he did Frigga could not stop herself from crying.  
"Did I do something wrong?" Loki asked a bit afraid that he had hurt his mother.  
"Not at all my love" Frigga assured him. "So tell us about your week"  
"Yes tell us" the twins said. Cara and Loki sat down with the others and started telling them.

* * *

After telling them about the week and assuring the twins that they could come along on the next trip Cara and Loki had went to make some food for the others. Cara thought it was a good place to start, and Loki had wanted to help her. Frigga had smiled towards them but not said anything as she offered to stay with the twins a bit longer. Cara and Loki had thanked her and walked away to the kitchen.

"What are you going to make?" Loki asked and Cara thought about it, she wasn't sure at first.  
"How about a buffet of fish and seafood?" she asked a bit unsure and Loki thought about it and then nodded.  
"I think they would like it" he said and she smiled.  
"Well then let's get started" Cara placed all they needed on the countertop and started preparing the dinner. Loki helped her in any way he could and even if she didn't need the help, she appreciated it. And she knew that Loki needed to do this too, as much as she did. Cara prepared the food in so many different ways she felt was needed, soup, deep-fried, sushi, boiled, fried, grilled and she thought about doing it in a dessert, but she went for a chocolate cake instead. And she had a lot fun while she was doing it. She enjoyed Loki's company and to challenge herself. It was always a challenge to make food in so many different ways. As she finished the last things Loki sat the table and when he got back to her in the kitchen she heard the others get out of the elevator.

"Food!" Clint shouted and almost run to the table. The others did look at the table and realised that it could only mean that Cara and Loki was back. They had all been waiting for them to get back, but they had also been a bit unsure or rather nervous about when they did. They had been reminded that both of them could be dangerous the last time, but they had also realised that they had pushed them really far. At least Loki, they hadn't listened to him and they more or less had themselves to blame. And Cara she only defended him. Jarvis had told them what Loki had done after he had left them, and they had all felt really bad about it. None of them had wanted him to go to Fandral, they hadn't even thought that he would. So the past week they had actually talked a lot about what they had done and how they should act around Loki. They had read the papers Natasha had told them to read so many times. And she had been furious with them when she heard what happened. And she said that they should be lucky that neither Loki or Cara killed them, because they had the right to do it.

So after all the reading they realised that they needed to think more about how everything could change Loki. Cara had told them from the beginning that they couldn't know how Loki would be if he got through it, but they had just assumed that he would either keep being evil or change and be good. They never thought that he could be something in between. Looking back at their actions made them feel shame. So they all hopped that they could fix this with Loki and Cara, and before Thor got back. He and Jane was still on their honeymoon, and they all hoped that it would be fixed before Thor got back and killed them instead.

When they walked closer to the table Cara and Loki walked out from the kitchen and they all looked at each other in silence for a long time, no one knew what to say.  
"The food is for you" Cara finally said and at those words Clint didn't care anymore. He just walked over to the table and sat down and started to eat.  
"He has complained about our food all week" Tony said with a week smile and Cara looked at Clint and then Tony.  
"I can imagine. Poor little Clint" she teased.  
"I would be insulted, if the food wasn't this good" Clint answered with food in his mouth. The others still didn't move.  
"I haven't poisoned the food, if that's what you are worried for" Cara said and at those words Clint stopped eating for a second but then he shrugged his shoulders.  
"Even if you had, I will die happily" he said and the others just sighed at him.  
"I think they are more afraid that I would have poisoned the food" Loki said to Cara.  
"If you would ruin my food with poison, I may poison you!" Cara said.  
"I have no doubt that you would" Loki told her but then looked at the Avengers. "But my children and mother is going to eat this, and I do not wish for them to die"  
The Avengers still didn't move and Cara looked at Loki.  
"Alright, so it wasn't poison they are afraid of. And I could have guessed it's you and me that scares them, but they walked over here so I don't think it's that" she said and pretended to think of what it could be.  
"Maybe they just have forgotten how to act around people" Loki said in a teasing voice.  
"Don't think it's that either" she said and then snapped her fingers, like she founded the answer. "I think it's the hole apology thing that worries them"  
"I think you may be right" Loki said to her.  
"Of course I am right, I am always right" Cara said and Loki rolled her eyes at her. "So since they don't seem to know what to do, I think we will need to start"

Cara turned to them and looked serious.  
"I am sorry if I scared you the last time. It wasn't my intention. And I know that none of you did mean to hurt Loki. There for was my actions unnecessary and uncalled for." Cara said.  
"And I also apologise if I scared you. I should just have walked away" Loki admitted and the Avengers just stared at them for a long time, until Natasha started to fake cough.  
"We are also sorry" Tony started.  
"We really are" Clint said from the table.  
"We should have thought about how you felt Loki. It wasn't fair of us to push you like we did" Tony said.  
"And you did scare us Cara, but it wasn't your fault. We had done the same if it was anyone close to us" Steve said.  
"And!" Natasha said and gave them a look.  
"We are sorry" they all said.  
"No harm done" Cara said to them.  
"You low life doesn't know better" Loki teased them.  
"Hey!" Tony protested but Loki didn't say anything as he left the room to get Frigga and the twins.

"If you want any food I recommend that you start eating now, before Clint eats it all" Cara said.  
"Not my problem" Clint said and the others sat down and started to eat. It was still a bit tension in the air, and it would most likely take awhile to get rid of it, but they had at least apologised and that was a start.  
"Loki seemed different" Steve said and turned to her.  
"He is feeling better" Cara answered him just as Loki got back with the others. The twins looked at the table with big eyes before they started to take a lot of food, which made Clint grab more food, afraid that the twins would take it all. And the others laughed as they fought about the food, and took the food they wasn't battling over.  
"It's great to have you back" Natasha said and looked at them.  
"It's great to be back" Cara said and Loki nodded.  
"So tell us about your trip" Bruce said and for they started telling the story for the second time. This time with the twins commenting things, like they had been there.


	26. Birthday party in Hell

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the new chapter. Hope you survived the wait. I will try to write another chapter today or tomorrow. But I have some other stuff to write and I need to pick up a friend that get here by train. But I will try for your sake.
> 
> And I am happy with this chapter. I wanted to have a more fun and uplifting chapter. A chapter that showed that things get's forward both with Loki and how he feels. And now he isn't only scared, so now we have the new phase and I hope you like it. It isn't as dark as it was at first. And I hope you don't mind how Loki is acting. Then I wanted more Loki and Cara, sand I really hope that you guys didn't think it was to silly and romantic. Sorry if you felt that way. I also wanted to show how the avengers and Loki becomes closer, just like Loki becomes closer to his family.
> 
> And here are the kids as I promised. Told you that it wasn't the last time we saw them! And well I just made it possible for all the children to speak. Felt like it was easier if they could.
> 
> In the next chapter things will move forward with the war plans and stuff. You will see :)
> 
> Don't think I have more to say, so enjoy :)

When Thor and Jane walked out of the elevator, after three weeks in Australia they found the others watching a movie. Thor gave Jane a surprised and wondering look, seeing them all watch Bolt, why would they watch a children's movie. He felt like Clint and Tony would most likely protest against watching it, needing something with more action. So Thor's guess was that they hadn't have anything to say about it. But when Thor and Jane walked over to them Thor saw the twins he understood why they were watching a kids movie.  
"Uncle Thor!" the twins said when they saw him. They stood up and run towards him. Thor got a bit surprised about it. He had connected with his youngest nephews, but he didn't thought they would miss him if he were gone.  
"Hi" Thor said and hugged them, before they ran to hug Jane too and Thor looked at the others.  
"Welcome home big guy" Tony said when the others stood up to walk over and great him.  
"How was Australia?" Did Bruce ask.  
"More importantly, is Australia alright?" Clint asked and grinned.  
"Alright? Why wouldn't it be alright?" Thor asked confused.  
"It was a joke" Clint said and laughed.  
"Luckily your livelihood doesn't depend on you making jokes" Loki said in a sarcastic way and Clint just gave him a annoyed look.  
"You are so funny Loki! I almost preferred when you tried to take over the world. At least we didn't need to hear your jokes!" Clint answered.  
"If I try or manage to take over the world, I am going to tell you jokes every day, just to please you" Loki said and Clint was about to say something when Thor stepped in between them and hugged Loki, who first tensed up, but then relaxed.  
"I have missed you brother!" Thor said with a big smile.  
"Let go of me you big oaf" Loki said to him.  
"But I have missed you" Thor said. "I thought you would have missed me too"  
"Why would I have missed you? And can you let go of me!" Loki said and tried to get Thor to release him.  
"Not until you admit that you have missed me" Thor said and Loki sighed.  
"Fine you got me Thor, I have missed you very much brother" Loki said and Thor smiled even bigger and let go of Loki.  
"Really?" Thor asked and Loki gave him a cold look.  
"No, that was a lie" Loki answered him.  
"Loki!" Thor said and started to chase Loki.

"How do you handle them?" Tony asked as he walked up to Cara who just smiled.  
"They aren't that difficult. They are like any other siblings, for most time" Cara said and laughed when Loki stopped which made Thor run through him, realizing it was a hologram, when he hit the wall.  
"Are you ever not going to fall for that?" Loki said with a cocky smile as he walked over to Cara.  
"Uncle Thor run into a wall" Váli said with a laugh.  
"Normal siblings don't do that" Tony said.  
"They would if they could" Cara said and smiled.  
"They would?" Tony asked and Cara nodded, remembering that Tony didn't had any siblings.  
"Without a doubt" Cara answered and watched Thor as he stood up and looked at Loki who smiled.  
"Loki!" Thor said again and walked towards Loki with a big smile. "I haven't seen you do things like that in a long time, or rather just not for fun."  
Loki didn't answer him, he just shrugged his shoulders.  
"You seem different. Did something happen while we were gone?" Thor asked and everyone in the room just looked at each other. The Avengers looked a bit worried at Loki. Should he tell his brother? They had been worried about how Thor would react if he knew.  
"Nothing that would interest you" Loki only answered his brother and Thor nodded.  
"Oh okay. Guess you just seem different for some reason. But we will go to bed now. We can tell you all about our trip later" Thor said and walked over to Jane before they left the room.

"Why didn't you tell him?" Clint asked and Loki gave him a look, wondering if he was stupid.  
"Did you really thought I would run to my brother and tell. Do you see me as a child?" Loki asked them and the Avengers gave each other looks, not sure what to answer.  
"No, but…we don't know. Guess we were a bit scared that you would" Steve admitted.  
"And this is the world's mighty heroes, scared of Thor." Loki said to them. "But I can inform you that Thor would be the last person I ran to tell. I didn't even did that as a child"  
"No you would run to Cara instead" Tony teased.  
"If I did, you guys would be in trouble" Loki only answered without getting insulted.  
"That you would" Cara said and took Loki's hand and gave the others a look.  
"We shall behave mother" Tony said sarcastically and Cara just shook her head.  
"Let's finish the movie" Cara just said and they all sat down.

* * *

When the others got to the kitchen the next morning to eat breakfast, they saw that it was less food then normally.  
"Hey, what happened?!" Clint said, really displeased.  
"Sorry, but I didn't have time to do as much as I usually do" Cara said and they looked over to her and Loki, to see them wrapping something.  
"What are you doing?" Steve asked.  
"We are getting ready to visit Hel. It's her birthday" Cara said and the others looked surprised.  
"It is?" Tony said. "Why haven't you said anything?"  
At those words Loki looked up, a bit surprised, not following.  
"What if we want to congratulate her too!" Tony said.  
"You do?" Loki not being able to hide his surprised.  
"Yes! You are our friend and she is your daughter. Of course we want" Tony said and at those words Loki froze, just staring at them, and that made the others a bit unsure.  
"Excuse me" Loki said and left the room and Clint hit Tony.  
"What?" Tony said in an angry voice.  
"I don't know, but you did something wrong, so I hit you" Clint said.  
"You!" Tony said and took a step against Clint who hide behind Natasha who only sighed. Tony smiled, knowing he had won and turned back to Cara.

"So what did I do?" He asked and she finished wrapping the present.  
"Nothing bad if that's what worries you. I think you just surprised him. You said that you were his friend and that you would like to meet Hel. I don't think he expected that" Cara explained and Tony gave her a surprised look.  
"I called him a friend? Didn't mean to do that" Tony started.  
"You don't see him as a friend?" Cara asked.  
"No, no, no. Nothing like that. I just got surprised myself. I don't think I realised that I saw him as a friend." Tony explained and Cara smiled.  
"It's nice to hear you say that you see him as a friend. Never thought I would hear those words" she said and stood up. "I will talk to him and see what I can do"  
"So we will find presents" Tony said with a smile and Cara just shook her head before she went to find Loki.

* * *

"Loki?" Cara asked as she walked out on the balcony. Loki didn't answer her, but she walked over and stood next to him. She didn't say anything; she knew that Loki would talk when he was ready. To hear someone, say that they are your friend after almost a lifetime without any friends was hard to take in. Cara guessed Loki wasn't sure how to handle it, after how everyone had treated him over the years. She was really happy to hear Tony call Loki friend, she just hoped that Loki could handle it.  
"Cara?" Loki asked and she looked at him. "I am scared"  
Cara took his hand and smiled.  
"I understand. Are you afraid that they will betray you?" she asked and he nodded. "I don't think you need to worry about that. They wouldn't do anything to hurt you intentionally, or betray you. But if you are scared, take it easy." Cara said.  
"I don't know how you act around friends, or how to be one" Loki said and Cara laughed a sweet laugh.  
"You will learn. Everyone acts differently. Just be you. And you do know how to be a friend. You are my friend" Cara said.  
"You are different. You see me for me. And I don't know, it's just impossible not to be friends with you" Loki said and kissed her on the forehead and she smiled.  
"I am different, that is true, and I did see you for you. But so does they. They have seen many different sides of you this month's we have been living here. And trust me, it's possible not to be friends with me, just ask my enemies" Cara said with a smile.  
"So how do I start?" Loki asked.  
"But not forcing it. Just like I said when it comes to knowing who you are, don't over think it. Act like yourself, and take a few steps a time. Do what you feel like doing" she said and Loki slowly nodded. "And if you want I can do you company"  
"I would feel safer if you did" he admitted and she smiled. Sometimes Loki was more like his old self, but he still had his moments when he was almost as scared as he was when they had rescued him.  
"But what you need to decide right know, is if you want them to come with us to visit Hel" Cara said and she saw that Loki was even more unsure about that. Cara know that Loki was very overprotective of his children after everything that happened. But she also guessed that he wanted to have this moment alone with Hel. He hadn't seen her in a long time.  
"Do you think she would mind?" Loki asked.  
"I don't know her well enough to be sure, but I don't think she would" Cara said and he nodded.  
"Can you tell them that they can come if they behave?" he asked and Cara smiled.  
"I will tell them that" she answered and then returned to the others.

* * *

"So this is hell?" Clint asked.  
"No I think we got the wrong turn and ended up at a bakery" Tony said sarcastically.  
"You are so funny. I was just surprised that it was this nice" Clint said.  
"Can't remember that it was the last time" Thor said and looked around.  
"Maybe that was because you was about to die" Cara said and Thor shrugged his shoulders.  
"Maybe" he just answered and Cara didn't say anything about it. Instead she turned towards Loki who was really quite. Cara could tell that he was nervous and she understood him, he hadn't seen his children in the longest time. Cara took his hand and he smiled towards her as they walked through the doors to Hel's throne room.

Hel looked up from the book she had been reading, and first she just stared at them, before she got up and ran over to Loki.  
"Father" she said with a happy voice and big smile as she hugged him. Loki just stood there in shook at first before he hugged her back.  
"Hel" he said, and you could hear the emotions in his voice and Cara smiled, until Tony coughed to get Loki's attention.  
"Shall you not introduce us?" Tony asked and Cara hit him in the head.  
"I know that you are impatient, but we talked about this before we left" Cara said.  
"So shall we just stand here and do nothing?" Tony asked and Cara sighed.  
"You should have done that until they were done!" she said.  
"It's alright Cara" Hel said and walked over to her. "Some humans will never learn"  
At those words Cara smiled and so did Hel.  
"Hello again Hel" Cara said and the goddess hugged her.  
"Hello Cara" she said and then turned towards the others. "But my I ask why you all are here?"  
"We come to wish you happy birthday" Tony said with the biggest smile and Hel turned towards Loki in surprise.  
"You remembered?" she whispered and Cara saw how those words effected Loki. At ones she saw the sadness that overtook him and she gave him an encourage smile.  
"I never forgot Hel." He started and walked over towards her. "Other things just got in the way. And I am sorry for that"  
"You have nothing to be sorry for father" Hel said and hugged him again. "Let's go to the dining room. And I will call for my brothers"  
Loki slowly nodded, very nervous about that, but Hel smiled towards him. She was happy to see her father again, and she knew that her brothers would to. But when she started to walking she felt that someone was pulling her skirt, very carefully. Hel looked down and saw two twin boys looking up at her.  
"Are you our big sister?" they asked and she smiled towards them. She had never met the twins, being thrown out from Asgard before they were born, but she knew about them.  
"That I am, I am Hel" she said and they smiled a big smile towards her and hugged her.  
"We are Váli and Narfi" Váli said to Hel who nodded.  
"We have a sister Mother" Narfi said and Cara smiled.  
"You also have three brothers. So go with your father and sister and you will meet them" Cara said.

"You aren't coming?" Váli asked.  
"I may come later. Go now" she said, feeling that the family needed some time alone, and so did she. If Loki's other children would act like the twins she needed to prepare herself.  
"What shall we do?" Tony asked and Cara just rolled her eyes.  
"We are going to wait"

* * *

Hel had a hard time to describe the joy she felt over meeting her father again. She had missed him since the day her grandfather had cast her aside. Her father had visited as often as he could when she was younger. And she knew that he had tried when she got older too, but like he said other things got in the way. Hel would never blame him for it, because she understood why he had done what he had done. And if she was braver, maybe she had tried to do something similar too. She knew that she would never try something like that, but she could always dream of over throwing her grandfather, so she would be welcomed to Asgard again. She would never leave her own realm, she had become really found of it and its people. No she would only wish to visit the place were she grow up.

Hel looked at her father who answered the twins questions and explained for them how her realm and the others realm worked. Hel thought he looked much better than the expected. After her brothers explaining that their father was captured and she had gotten information about what they had done to him, she thought he would look worse. But her guess was that Cara, and how much she hated to admit that, Thor, had helped her father. She didn't know how well he was, but compared to what Thor had described last time, he looked much better.  
"Something on your mind Hel?" Loki asked and she realised that she had been staring.  
"Just glad to see you again father" she said and Loki smiled towards her.  
"Aren't you glad to see us too?" the twins asked and Hel laughed.  
"I am glad to see you too" she said. She had never met them before, but she was glad to see them.

* * *

They walked into the dining room and Hel saw that her brothers was already there, talking about something she didn't hear.  
"Are those our brothers?" Narfi asked and Hel nodded towards him.  
"Wow" Váli said and at ones ran towards them, holding Narfi's hand and Hel smiled, glad that they had each other.  
"Father are you alright?" Hel asked when she saw that Loki had stopped. At first her father didn't say anything and Hel wasn't sure what was wrong. Her father looked really unsure, almost scared. She had never seen him like this, and she didn't know what was wrong.  
"Shall I get Cara?" Hel asked. Thinking that she may know what's wrong with her father, but at those words Loki shook his head.  
"No" he said in a low voice. "I just…"  
Hel didn't know what her father wanted to say, so she didn't answer. It would just be plain stupid to try to say anything then. So she just stood there with her father, looking at him and her brothers who now had noticed them. She smiled when they walked over to them. Hel looked at their father, and Loki looked even more unsure and scared. Hel looked at him and then her brothers, and then it hit her, her father was scared that they would blame him.  
"They don't blame you" Hel said and Loki looked at her in shock.  
"How can they not?" he asked and Hel smiled.  
"Because they or rather we know it's not your fault" she said in a comforting voice as her brothers got to them. At first they just all looked at each other, no one was moving, and Hel guessed that they were all nervous. Her brothers had said that they were afraid that Loki would see them as a failure for getting killed. She had told them it was ridicules, but she wasn't sure if they believed her.

Hel just looked at them before she started to laugh, and they all looked at her.  
"Typical males" she said and her brothers gave her an wondering look. "How long are you going to stare at each other? You have all missed each other so instead of being scared of what the other think, just hug each other"  
"How would you know?" Fenrir asked and she just rolled her eyes.  
"A woman's intuition" she only answered as she walked over to the table. The twins followed her.  
"What is so funny?" Váli asked and she turned towards him.  
"Nothing particular. It's just that father and our brothers are a bit shy" she said and the twins looked over to the others, and they saw how they hugged each other.  
"They don't seem that shy to me" Narfi said and Hel looked too.  
"That's a start" Hel said with a smile as she sat the table.

* * *

"I am bored" Tony complained for what seemed like the 12 time in the short time they had been waiting.  
"You complaining all the time isn't going to make you less bored" Clint said in an irritated voice. "But it may make us leave you down here"  
"You wouldn't manage without me" Tony answered.  
"I think they are willing to risk it Tony" Cara only answered.  
"Not you too! You were the only one not complaining, I almost thought you was on my side" Tony said, joking.  
"I didn't say anything because I wasn't listening to you" Cara admitted.  
"Hey!" Tony said and she just smiled as the doors opened by a wolf. The others actually took a step back when they saw how big it was.  
"Hi Fenrir" Cara said and the wolf did the closest thing to what you could call a smile.  
"Hello Cara" Fenrir answered and then looked at the others. "Shall we go?"  
"Finally!" Tony and Clint said and then looked at each other. And it didn't take long until Tony started to tease Clint for being as impatient as him, and Clint saying he only wanted to stop hearing Tony complain. The others just shook their heads as they walked towards the dining room.

* * *

When they got to the dining room the twins come running towards them.  
"Mother, Mother" Narfi said.  
"They are all amazing and funny" Váli said and Cara smiled.  
"I am glad to hear that" she said and took their hands as they walked over to the table. Cara sat down next to Loki. "Did everything go well?"  
Loki only nodded and she could see how moved he was about the meeting with his children, so she just took his hand and didn't ask anything else.  
"So can you introduce us now?" Tony asked Loki and Cara just sighed.  
"Better do that before Clint kills him" she said and Loki smiled.  
"Maybe I shall take my time then" he teased and Cara smiled towards him.  
"Let's not do that to Pepper" Cara said and Loki laughed.  
"No it would be a shame to punish her for loving such a foolish man" Loki said and Tony was about to answer when Loki interrupted him. "This is Hel my daughter. This is Sleipnir, Fenrir and Jörmungandr. Children, this is the Avengers. Clint, Natasha, Bruce, Steve, You remember your uncle Thor, and that's his wife Jane, and then this tiny human is Tony"  
They all looked at each other at first before they said there hellos and slowly started talking with each other and Cara could tell that Loki started relax. He had been afraid of how the others would react to his children, especially since all of them wasn't human looking.  
"That went well" Cara said and Loki nodded and she smiled towards him.  
"Thank you for coming along" Loki said and Cara laughed, and kissed him.  
"Anytime silly" she said.  
"You two are so cute together" Hel said and Cara could hear the little girl she ones was in her voice. Loki looked down at once and Hel gave Cara a puzzled look.  
"I think that was your daughters way of saying that she approves of me" Cara said and Loki nodded but he didn't look up.  
"Did I say something wrong father?" Hel asked and Loki looked up.  
"No, I just don't want you to think I am a bad person, for not being with your mother" Loki admitted and Hel smiled a sweet smile.  
"I would rather think you were a bad person if you were with her. She is an awful person, and I am happy not to have her in our life" Hel said honestly and Loki couldn't hide how surprised he was to hear those words.  
"Thank you Hel" he said and she smiled.  
"There is nothing to thank me for. We are all just glad to see you happy, and just like everyone else you deserve happiness" Hel said and Cara saw how Loki's eyes started to filled up with tears.  
"Excuse me" Loki said and left the table.  
"I don't understand" Hel said and Cara smiled.  
"I think it just become too much for him. He is still coping with everything Odin did to him. And one of those things was to say that he wasn't worthy of anything, so hear people say otherwise makes him very confused." Cara explained.  
"Odin" Hel said in an angry voice "I wish to see that man dead"  
"Then you have to wait for your turn" Cara said with a smile.  
"After you?" Hel asked.  
"Well I think both your grandmother and uncle is standing before me" Cara informed her and Hel looked over to Thor.  
"Thor? Really" Hel asked and Cara nodded.  
"It's a surprise, but he has really stepped up, and he is starting to act like a brother" she said. "But I am going to look for Loki, why don't you open your presents or eat some cake while I do"

* * *

It took Cara sometime to find Loki. Hell was after all a big place and she wasn't familiar with it, something she actually was happy with. But when she found him he was standing in a window looking out over Hel's realm. Cara walked up to him and hugged him, she didn't say anything. Loki hugged her back and soon he started to cry, and Cara let him, knowing that he needed that. He may talk now, and he wasn't as scared as he was in the beginning, but she knew that those feelings often got replaced by other feelings. And confusing was one of them, and sometimes that was scarier than the fear itself. Being confused made you doubt everything you have heard, and you had to figure out who you were, what you believed and what you wanted to do. Because it didn't matter how much you wanted to go back to be the person you were before everything happened, you couldn't. Being throw something like this changed you, and you had to learn to live with it.

But in Loki's case it was so much more then learn to live with it, and questioning some things, for him it was everything. His whole life had been a lie, first the adoption, then knowing that Odin kept him for an experiment, then after years of psychological torture, it was the physical. And after being alive for hundreds of years, you got to experience things you never had before, but things you would have had if your father didn't used them to fuck with you. Cara know how Loki felt, she had thankfully never gone through all the things Loki had gone through. But she knew people who had gone through similar things. But she did know about the things Loki never had, so she hoped she could help explain them to him, like friendship.

"Cara, I feel like a mess" Loki whispered and Cara nodded.  
"You are mess, I mean look at you, I think you got some tangles in your hair" she said with a warm teasing voice and Loki couldn't help smiling.  
"That was not what I meant, but thank you for pointing it out" he answered.  
"Anytime" she said before she become serious. "And I know that wasn't what you meant. But don't worry about it. Everything you are going through is normal."  
"It's not normal for me! I cry at everything; I leave the room when it becomes too much. I don't know how to act around people, or in certain situations" Loki said in a frustrated voice.  
"Once again that's normal. I know that it's not normal for you. But after going through that a few times, I can tell you that it's normal." She said and took his hands. "And don't worry, people understand that you are going through a hard time. They don't understand exactly what you are going through, but they will give you as much time as you need"  
"How do you know?" he asked and she laughed.  
"Because if they don't I will school them" Cara answered.  
"Thanks mother" Loki teased.  
"I can school you too, I should school your for even calling me that!" she said and turned around and Loki hugged her from behind.  
"Even if that would have been fun, please don't" Loki said and Cara didn't answer at first, pretending to think.  
"Fine, I will not school you" she said and Loki put his head on her shoulder.  
"Thank you. And also thank you for making me smile. Not sure how you do it" he admitted.  
"Magic" Cara said and laughed.  
"Always the funny one" Loki only said and Cara nodded.  
"Someone has to be" Cara answered and Loki just kissed her on the cheek.

"Are you feeling better?" Cara asked.  
"For now" Loki answered her and Cara knew that it would take time until Loki felt completely better.  
"I take what I get. But you know that I am here whenever you need to talk" she said.  
"I know that. And thank you for that. I may need that, all this is very confusing"  
"And I will not lie to you, it will most likely be for awhile." Cara said and turned to face Loki who slowly nodded. "But I am here for as long as you want"  
"Forever?" Loki asked and Cara actually was caught off guard at the question. She had stayed in worlds for a long time before, for the most time until the ones she knew died. But it had never been forever. Could she stay in one world forever? Should she die here then? She still had family in other worlds, could she just leave them? But could she just leave Loki?  
"You don't have to answer, forget that I said anything" Loki said and Cara looked at him and smiled.  
"Maybe I don't want to forget. I just thought about how you would most likely grew tired of me" she said.  
"You are a good liar, but I can still tell that it's a lie. Just like you said years ago, you don't need to tell me anything, just don't please lie to me" Loki said.  
"Sorry Loki. I was just caught off guard" she started. "No one has ever asked me to stay forever. Most likely because they knew that they would die before me"  
Cara stopped and looked outside and thought to think of what to say, and Loki didn't said anything giving her the time she needed.  
"And I have homes in other worlds too, I don't know if I can leave them" she didn't want it to sound like she didn't want to be with Loki, but she had to tell him that, because she was sure she could never leave them, just like she couldn't leave Loki either.  
"Then don't. Go and visit them when you need to, just come back when you are done" Loki said and she turned towards him.  
"Do you know what you are signing up for? I may be away for long periods of time. Would you really be okay with that?" Cara asked. She had always been aware that she would have to move on one day. Most likely because someone else would need her help too. And she would never turn down her friends. But most of the time when she left a world she never got back because they all wear dead. Loki would have been different she knew that, he would live much longer than the others.  
"I am aware of that. But knowing that you will come back will make it easier. Cara I know that you may need to leave one day. I did figure that out after we visited that other world. You have families and friends in other places. You most likely left them when you got here to help me. And if they need help too, I can't force you to stay. But I can ask you to come back to me when you can." Loki said and Cara didn't know that she could be this happy.

Very few people understood when she had to leave a world, and that was one of the reasons she rarely did that. She didn't want to deal with the pain and anger. And she didn't wish to see that side of her friends and family. But here was one of the persons she loved the most, not only understanding but also giving her what she needed, without any strings. Cara didn't know how to react so she just hugged Loki and she felt her tears start falling.  
"Now you made me cry" she said with a laugh and Loki laughed too.  
"Shall I take that as a yes?" he asked and she nodded.  
"I will stay with you forever" Cara answered and kissed Loki who smiled when they parted. "I love you Loki"  
"I love you too Cara" Loki answered and Cara couldn't describe how happy she was. to hear those words. And to hear how much Loki meant them. She could only kiss him again. This time she put her hands in his hair and Loki pulled her closer and Cara felt the butterflies in her stomach. At an impulse she wanted to push Loki against the wall, but she knew that it was a stupid idea, she didn't want to scare him, and they were in a corridor at his daughter's house. So she stopped herself and forced herself to end the kiss.  
"I think we need to go back, before they start to look for us" Cara said and Loki nodded and took her hand. They started walking back to the others, both smiling, not prepared for where the conversation would end.

* * *

When they got back to the others they saw how Hel was opening her presents, and Cara looked at the stuff in front of Hel. Cara smiled, she could without a doubt say which present was from everybody, they had all chosen typical gifts for them. When Loki and Cara sat down Hel opened a a doll, and Cara looked at Thor who smiled the biggest smile he could.  
"I know that you aren't a child anymore. But I remembered that you wanted one of those when you wear a child. So it's a bit too late, but I still hope you will like it" Thor explained and Cara actually saw Hel smile towards Thor, and Cara guessed that the gesture meant a lot to her.  
"Thank you uncle Thor" she said and then went for a blue wrapped gift and Hel looked at Loki.  
"You have always known that I loved blue" she said and Loki nodded.  
"It's from me and the twins" he said and Hel smiled towards them before she opened it. Inside was a book, with blue cover and Hel opened it and saw that it was a photo album. She looked at the moving pictures.  
"Are this?" Hel asked and Loki smiled.  
"It's pictures of you and your siblings over the years. Me and your grandmother are in them too. The big oaf over there may be in a few of them too" Loki explained and Thor who was eating cake didn't even react and Hel smiled.  
"And they are moving" she said impressed.  
"That's Cara's doing. That is something that is very common where she grew up" Loki said and Cara just smiled towards Hel.  
"This is lovely father" Hel said as she looked at the photos.  
"I am glad you thought so. I wanted you to remember how much I love you, and that you have a family outside this realm too" Loki said and Hel hugged him.  
"We want to see too" the twins said and Hel put them sit in her lap as they started to look through the album.  
"Thank you for the idea" Loki whispered towards Cara.  
"Nothing to thank me for" Cara said and kissed him on the cheek before Loki started watching with Hel and the others, as he explained a few things that happened in the pictures. And after a few minutes the others started to look at the album too.

* * *

The had gone through the whole album a few hours lately, since Loki needed to answer all of Clint's and Tony's questions, which he did very patently. When they were done, everyone seemed to be very happy.  
"Our family is so special" Narfi said.  
"That it is" Sleipnir answered and Narfi smiled towards his oldest brother and gave him an apple, which the horse took it very thankful.  
"I have to open your gift too Cara" Hel said and took a small golden box.  
"I hope you like it" Cara said to her and Hel opened it to find an orb inside, one much alike the one Loki had. Hel looked a bit puzzled at it, and Cara laughed.  
"Turn it" she explained and Hel did. In the same second as she did the whole room went dark for a second before it filled up with a hologram of stars.  
"This, this…" Hel started and looked in the direction she knew Cara had been sitting.  
"It's the stars from Asgard. Your father told me you loved to watch them, but you couldn't from down here. So I created a hologram for you. Now you can watch them when you feel like it. As long as you are in a room. If you go outside, and it's not dark, you may not see them clearly" Cara explained and Hel nodded, even if she knew Cara wouldn't see it. She looked at all the stars and smiled before she turned it off.  
"Thank you so much" Hel said and hugged Cara.  
"I am glad you liked it" Cara said.  
"This has been a very pleasant birthday, the greatest in years" Hel informed them "Thank you father"

* * *

When the twins had fallen asleep the others agreed that it was time to head home. The grownup may not admit it, but most of them was really exhausted, but it had been a great day.  
"I said I would never drink again, why didn't you guys stop me?" Tony complained as he leaned against Steve.  
"Because you are a grownup and can make your own decisions" Bruce told Tony who just grabbed his cheeks.  
"But I can't, you should know that Bruciiiii" Tony said and Bruce sighed as he helped Steve carry Tony.  
"Thank you ones more for the gifts" Hel said.  
"You are welcome little one" Clint said and waved towards her.  
"You are both younger and shorter than her Clint" Natasha said and dragged Clint away and the others were laughing, as Clint tried to break free.

"Take care Hel" Thor said and Hel nodded towards him.  
"It was really nice to meet you" Jane told her.  
"And you" Hel answered, she had nothing against Jane, she had been a very pleasant woman to talk too.  
"Yeah it was nice to meet you" Tony shouted back towards Hel.  
"If any of you send me to him, I will kill you and force you to be with him forever!" Hel threatened and Loki laughed.  
"She is definitely your daughter" Thor said as he walked past them and went over to the others.

"Thank you for all this father" Hel said and smiled towards Loki who smiled back.  
"That's what's fathers are for" he said and Hel nodded.  
"At least the good ones" Hel answered him.  
"At least the good ones" Loki agreed on. "I promise to come and visit as soon as I can"  
"I know you will. And we will all be waiting" Hel said and Loki nodded. "For all of you"  
"I don't think I can stop the little ones from coming alone anyway" Loki said and looked at the twins that was sleeping in his and Cara's arms.  
"And I will return as long as I am welcomed" Cara said and Hel smiled.  
"You are always welcomed Mother" Hel told her and Cara smiled back towards her. "I need another woman down here sometimes"  
"Yes I think you do" Cara said and looked at Loki and Hel's brothers.  
"Without you she may forget how to be a woman" Jörmungandr teased his sister and Hel smiled a cold smile.  
"I may also forget to turn up the heat in your room" She said and Jörmungandr.  
"Then I will sleep with Fenrir" he said and Fenrir laughed.  
"No you will not, and even if you would I prefer the cold" he said and looked down at his fur.  
"You can sleep with me" Sleipnir said and Jörmungandr smiled.  
"Always the nice brother" Hel said and Sleipnir nodded.  
"I was the only one mother could make a decent child of" he said and Loki smiled towards all of them.  
"I am glad that you all get along" he admitted and they all looked at him and smiled too.  
"So are we. It's nice to be with family again" Fenrir said.  
"I am sorry for giving you such trouble through the years" Loki whispered and looked away. Cara knew how much Loki blamed himself for everything that happened to his children. Cara took Loki's hand just as his children hugged him, at least in any way they could.  
"We don't blame you father" Fenrir said.  
"No you did everything you could" Jörmungandr told him.  
"You were always there for us, when you could. It's Odin we blame" Sleipnir told Loki, and Cara almost thought she heard Sleipnir growl when he said Odin's name.  
"That's why we ask you to think about letting us help you. And when you say no, you just prepare that we will help you fight against him anyway" Hel said with a smile.

The children had told Loki that they had talked with Thor about helping them with the war against Odin. Hel offered her army of the dead, and her brothers offered to help however they could. But Loki had said no. He didn't wish for them to get hurt again. He wanted to keep them safe. Cara understood why, it was your children, you always wanted to protect them. But they were all grownups now and Cara knew that they wanted to help and protect Loki, just like he had done towards them. And just like Hel had said, Cara had known that they would do it no matter what Loki said. Cara smiled over how much of Loki they were, he could just not see it. But she didn't say anything about it. It wasn't her children, and it wasn't her war. She loved Loki, and she wanted to protect him. But she could not demand things in this realm. She could not order people to kill Odin, so she would help them in every way she could when the time was right, but she wouldn't do anything until then. The only thing she could do was try to convince Loki to let the children help, knowing that his children would be happier if their father accepted their help. And if she talked to Loki she may assure him that they do this because they love him. But she wouldn't push him to far, sure that she would react the same if Minna was alive and wanted to do the same.

"I will think about it" Loki finally said, and Cara heard how against the idea he was, but his children smiled.  
"That's a start at least" Hel said and turned towards Cara.  
"I will talk to him, but I can't force him to accept it" Cara answered and Hel laughed.  
"Didn't ask you too. Do what you can" Hel said.  
"I am standing here" Loki gave them a look and both women looked at each other.  
"I didn't see him there" Hel said.  
"Neither did I. And even if I did, I thought that he knew not to eardrop when two ladies were talking to each other" Cara said and Loki smiled.  
"That I know, but I didn't see two ladies" he said with a teasing voice and his sons laughed and Cara gave Hel a look.  
"I hope your brothers gets partners one day and the will understand why Loki is in trouble now" she said and now Hel laughed.  
"I pray for that day to get here" Hel said and her brothers had stopped laughing and actually looked a bit worried at their father.  
"Do you worst" Loki said to her and Cara raised an eyebrow.  
"Not wise words to say to me" she said and Loki just smiled a cocky smile and Cara didn't say anything more to him. "It's time to say goodbye. Time to get all of the kids to bed"  
"They are just two" Sleipnir said.  
"The twins yes. But we need to get the others home too" Cara said and pointed towards the others and the older children nodded.  
"It was lovely to meet you all again" Cara said and hugged them all.  
"Watch out for him" Hel whispered in her ear when she hugged her and Cara nodded.  
"I will" she whispered back and walked over to the others, giving Loki some time to say goodbye to his children.

When he got over Cara saw how emotional he was and she took his hand and he smiled.  
"Thank you for making it easier to say goodbye" he said and Cara smiled. She knew that it would have been easier to say goodbye if they joked before, not saying goodbye when they all were sad.  
"Anytime" she said and Loki kissed her hand before he turned towards the others.  
"Are you read?" he asked and the nodded, and Loki opened the portal that would take them home.


	27. New information

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here is the next chapter, since I had some time over to write it. I will most likely write another chapter or two this weekend too, so don't worry. And I am very happy with this chapter, even if it got a bit dark towards the end, but well hope you like it. And not like this story hasn't been dark before.
> 
> The Outsider and Corvo are from a game series called Dishonored. Great games! And well yeah not much more to say about it.  
> The song Cara is singing is the; In the Pines by Janel Drewis. It's from the walking dead telltale game, season 2. Also a great game! I recommend you play both if you haven't.
> 
> And you will get more information about Abjorn, I have a plan with him.
> 
> Wanda is Scarlet Witch if you guys didn't know. But just like I did with Strange, I change her. So sorry to anyone that are a fan of her.
> 
> I also know that the Avengers didn't have a super big place in this chapter, but hope you survive.
> 
> And as promised, here is the plan, or some information about the plan, like I promised. You will get to know more, when we get closer to it.
> 
> I don't think you need any more information. So as always thank you for reading. Enjoy the reading! :)

"So if they would come from here" Thor said and pointed at a map on the table.  
"That would never work" Volstagg said. "They would see us from here, here and here. And the river would work in our disadvantage"  
"But we can't come from the north" Thor said "It's blocked by the mountains, those are impossible to get past"  
"Nothing is impossible if you are willing to lose some people on the way" Cara said from the corner she sat in. She didn't take part in the planning. She didn't want to take over, this was something they needed to do. And if she, who didn't come from Asgard, took over the planning of taking down their king, well people could see it the wrong way. All she would do was stand by Loki's side. That was all that was important to her.

"We don't want to lose any men" Thor said and Cara just shrugged her shoulders. She knew that Thor would say that, caring about his men. And in this case it was a good thing, because that would make them more loyal and not betray them near the end. Cara didn't care about what happened to the men, all she wanted to avenge Loki. But Thor's way was the smarter one. And that was another reason Cara wouldn't take part in the planning. She was too emotional to do so. Normally she could cast her feelings aside when she did something like this. But this was too close to what she had been through, and she was to upset over what happened to Loki. She wouldn't think clear if she was to lead an army, so instead she stayed in the background and when the time come she would do what Loki asked her to do.

"So how about from the air?" Hogun said.  
"The Valkyries will most likely guard that way" Thor said, thinking of his daughter. She would most likely be on the frontline. He had no intention to fight her, but what would he do if he met her? He could not yield, but he could not hurt her either. Thor really hoped that it wouldn't come to that.  
"Is there even a way in?" Tony asked and looked at the map.  
"There is" Thor said and pointed at the main road.  
"That isn't going to get us captured?" Tony said and Thor seemed to think about it, but he didn't seem to know.  
"There is a lot of them" Frigga said as she walked back into the room with some drinks for everyone.  
"Can you show us?" Tony asked.  
"Unfortunately not, I don't know where they are, just that they are there somewhere" she said.  
"Then who knows where they are?" Tony asked.  
"Loki" Frigga said and no of them said anything.

Loki didn't want to help them at all. He didn't felt like he was worthy of all this help, he wasn't worth it. And he didn't want to send them into their deaths. Feeling that it was a suicide mission. They had all tried to convince him to help them, everyone except Cara, she knew that they could never force Loki to join them. He needed to be willing to do it. And facing the person behind it all was one of the most terrifying thing you could ever do. She couldn't, she had run instead, and Loki had been the one who took care of it. That's was one of the reasons she wanted to do this for him. Helping Loki to get rid of his demons.

"No one else?" Bruce asked and looked at the queen.  
"No one that would help us. You need a magician for that" Frigga said.  
"Maybe Strange will help us" Tony said and the others looked at him. "We can always ask"  
And with those words Tony left the room to try to get hold of Stephen.

"Let's say Strange will help us get there. How do we even take down Odin?" Steve asked.  
"Either with the help of a stronger god or make him mortal" Cara said when Thor and Frigga hesitated, most likely not willing to reveal their weakness.  
"And you know this how?" Clint asked and looked at her.  
"They are not the first gods I have met" Cara told them.  
"You say that like you meet gods everyday" Clint said and Cara shrugged her shoulders.  
"Would any of the other gods you know help us bring down Odin?" Steve asked and Cara thought about it.  
"Doubtful. Some of them have died for different reasons, left earth and the worlds we know, I don't know where they are, or they aren't strong enough, or this isn't interesting enough" Cara said.  
"Not interesting enough? How can this not be interesting?" Clint asked and Cara smiled.  
"Well the god not thinking it is interesting enough would be the Outsider. And he is special, he has lived around four thousand years, he watches time has it's turn, but he interfere very rarely, and I would say that he is a bit occupied with his boyfriend to be willing to help us" Cara just said.  
"His boyfriend? He thinks his boyfriend is more important than this?" Clint said a bit upset, not understanding. "If he is so busy with his lover, how did he have time to get to know you?"  
"Oh I date them him too, both of them actually. Kind of complex relationship. The Outsider is to special for both me and Corvo to handle sometimes" Cara just said, like there was no big deal.  
"You date two people? Like at the same time?" Tony asked when he got back.  
"Yes" Cara just said.  
"The sex must be amazing! I mean two people, one of them is a god and the other is…well that doesn't matter. It must still be good" Tony said and Cara rolled her eyes.  
"That is something you will never know…" she started until Tony interrupted her.  
"One day I will!" Tony said.  
"Anyway" Cara continued "Not what we talked about. So I don't have any gods that can help. Do you guys know any?"

Frigga and Thor seemed to think about it, but they didn't answer at first.  
"Can't like Zeus help?" Tony asked and looked at the two gods who just looked puzzled, so Tony turned to Cara.  
"I don't know him. I have never met him" she said. She had never have a reason to travel to a world where Zeus is alive.  
"Can't you do it? Get to know him and ask for his help?" Clint asked.  
"No. It would take too long. First I would need to find a world where he lives, and that can take forever. It's not like I just think a thought and find a world after that. Secondly I would need to build a relationship with him before I ask for his help. Guessing he wouldn't be too happy at a stranger demanding his help. And who knows how long that would take or if it's even possible." Cara informed them.  
"So if you can't help, you two can't seem to think of anyone, then we have the option of making Odin mortal" Steve said and the others agreed. "So how do you do it?"  
"Don't look at me, I don't know. I have never made a god mortal" Cara said when they looked at her.  
"You are such a big help" Tony said and Cara gave him a cold look.  
"I am not trying to help you either. I am just sitting here, listening and sees what happens" She told them before she would not help them with the planning. And sometimes she felt like they counted on her too much. She wasn't there for them.

"We know how to make him mortal, we just aren't able to" Frigga said.  
"How come?" Natasha asked, after being quit for most of the conversation.  
"Because in our world at least, it's impossible for any other god then Odin, to make gods mortal." Frigga said.  
"Great! Fucking great" Tony said "So we don't have safe way in or even if we get one, we can't even beat Odin. Why are we even doing this?"

"I told you that it's pointless" Loki said as he entered the room.  
"Not this again" Clint said in a low voice. After they got home from Hel, they had really start planning for how to bring Odin, but Loki had been against it from the start.  
"Loki please" Thor said to his brother. Thor didn't want a fight between Loki and his friends. Not that they really had a fight. Loki said his opinion, the others didn't agree, started to scream, scared Loki, who left.  
"He, just like you are allowed to have an opinion. Or rather especially Loki is allowed to have an opinion. You claim to do this for him, but you don't want to hear his opinion" Cara said.  
"You want Odin gone more than any of us" Tony said and Cara smiled.  
"That I do. I wish for him to be dragged from his throne and thrown to the dogs. But this is not about what I want" Cara started and walked over to Loki. "We can't stop you from doing what you want to do, but you need to respect Loki's opinion, just like he need to respect yours. That's what friends does"  
"Yes mother" Clint and Tony said and Cara rolled her eyes.  
"Because that's not getting old" Cara answered and then looked over to Loki. "Do you want to eat something?"  
"Very much so" Loki answered and they went towards the kitchen.

"They aren't a big help" Clint said and Tony agreed.  
"Thought Cara would be all over this" Tony said.  
"She cares to much about Loki's will for that" Thor said with a smile.  
"And you don't?" Tony teased.  
"Not in this case. I will bring father to court for this!" Thor said and you could hear the suppressed anger and Frigga took Thor's hand and smiled towards him.  
"Back to the plan?" Clint asked.  
"Back to the plan!" Tony answered. "So if you can't make him mortal, but know how, is there anyone who can make him mortal?"  
"A strong witch or wizard should be able to do it" Frigga answered.  
"Cara?" Clint called and Cara walked out from the kitchen with a spoon in her hand.  
"Yes?" she asked very patently.  
"Can you do Odin mortal? You have great magic" Clint said and Cara raised an eyebrow.  
"I told you before, my magic isn't as strong as Odin's, and even if it was, I couldn't. My magic is mostly for the battlefield. Rituals and similar things aren't something I am very good at" Cara explained "And I don't know anyone who I am willing to ask for help"

"But you know of someone?" Tony asked.  
"I would say that there is some of my enemies that can. So if you want to ask them go ahead" she only said with a tired voice and returned to the kitchen.  
"So no gods or magicians, she almost makes me disappointed" Tony said and Natasha hit him in the head. "Ouch, why?"  
But Natasha didn't answer, she just gave him a cold look.

"So is there anyone else?" Steve asked.  
"I have heard of a girl named Wanda something, maybe we should talk to her?" Bruce said.  
"Do you know something more about her?" Steve asked but Bruce just shook his head. "Well we can always talk to her. Tony how did it go with Strange?"  
"He is going to help us, if we have a plan that don't get him killed!" Tony said and the others nodded, feeling that it's a reasonable demand.  
"So what we need to do before we do anything else is talk to this Wanda person" Clint said and the others nodded.  
"That's the plan so far. Let's try to find her, and call for a new meeting when we have talked to her" Steve said and the others nodded. They placed the maps and nots for the plans in a secret container Tony had, before they went to the kitchen hoping Cara would have made food for them too.

* * *

It took them almost a month to locate Wanda Maximoff, which was her full name. But it didn't take nearly as long to convince her to help them. And they had all been surprised that she was willing to help them, especially since they were very clear on what they were going to do, and for who. But Wanda didn't seem to care about that. She just saw the wrongs, and would gladly help them do right.

So they were once again gathered at Tony's, and this time they were more people than the last time. Frigga had brought some of her allied with her. People from other realms, that had never liked Odin, but didn't have anything against Asgard and Frigga. She had even manage to find some people that supported the idea of Loki ruling Asgard after Odin. Something Loki said he did not want. And Cara had explained to the surprised Avengers that it would most likely evolve to many painful memories.  
And besides the people Frigga had brought with her, Stephen, Wanda, Peter and Thor's friends was there.  
Hel had sent a messenger with all the information they needed about her and her army from Hell, and asked them to give her the information she needed.  
"So where would be the easiest and best way to get in?" Steve asked as they all watched the map once more. They looked at Strange.  
"I don't know yet. Without looking into it, I can't say. Bringing you all to Asgard without noticing is very complex" he answered and the others just nodded.  
"Here is the easiest location, and that's the best location" Loki suddenly said and they all looked at him.  
"Are you okay with this all of the sudden?" Tony asked very suspicious "Have someone used mind control on you?"  
Cara rolled her eyes when Tony looked at her.  
"Because I would do that" she said tired, and Loki looked at Tony like he was stupid, which Tony felt at that moment.  
"I am not okay with this, not at all, but I realise that you are going to do this anyway. So I can at least provide you with some useful information. Especially since you are going to endanger my children's life" Loki said and Cara took his hand and he kissed her on the forehead. The others had starting to get used with Loki showing love more openly. At first they had all been shocked, and Loki had stopped, and Cara had never been so displeased with them. But Loki had slowly started doing it again. And even if Cara wished for more, she never pushed him to do something. And she was happy with what she was given, glad that Loki was given her anything.

"Alright, which of this position do you prefer Strange?" Steve asked.  
"They don't do much difference to me. So I would say the better of the two" Stephen answered and looked at a the place Loki had pointed.  
"How does it look with the guards? Will they be a problem? That and other people who stands on Odin's side?" Natasha asked.  
"A lot of the guards and others have been captured for what they have done to prince Loki…" a man named Erik stopped when he remembered Loki was in the room. Loki looked away but Cara squeezed his hand and when Loki didn't do anything else, Cara nodded to the guard to continue.  
"We started with the people from other realms, it was easier. And when we explained the situation to their rulers, they didn't want anything to do with them. The people in Asgard was a bigger problem, since Odin watched them closer. But given the excuse that Loki had escaped by killing two guards, a lot of them felt scared, and we could say that they have ran."

"But you haven't caught all of the people taking advantage of my brother?" Thor asked.  
"No my prince. We are trying to find them all, and some new names have appeared since we captured others. But we are trying to find them" Erik said.  
"Anyone we need to look out for?" Thor asked and Erik was quite at first, before he looked at Loki, not wanting to give this information to him.  
"We haven't been able to capture Abjorn and some of his men" Erik said and Cara felt the change in Loki at once. It was like he was back to where he was when they first found him.  
"Loki?" Cara asked in a very calm voice, Loki didn't react at all. He didn't seem to see them. He had closed his eyes, and Cara saw how he tried not to shiver. She saw how he tried not to be scared, or cry. Cara guessed his memories took him back to the cell.  
"Loki?" Thor said and was about to touch his brother when Cara stopped him. She shook her head and Thor looked at her, first he looked angry at her but then he nodded, knowing Cara know best.  
"Loki?" Cara said again. "It's alright, you aren't there anymore. You are here, with me, with your family and friends, and you are safe"  
Loki still didn't react to what she was saying and Cara thought that talking may not get through to him. Her voice would most likely get mixed up with the voices from the memories. So instead she started to sing, to try to break through, hoping a song would be something that felt out of place. She felt that the others watched her, but she didn't turn towards them, she was focused on Loki, and when he opened his eyes again and looked at her she smiled.  
"Hi" she said and Loki threw himself in her arms and she hugged him. "It's alright"  
Loki didn't answer her, but she felt that he become more relaxed in her arms and she felt reviled.  
"It works every time, like magic" Tony whispered to Wanda, who had seem very surprise.  
"Is it magic?" she asked very curious.  
"It's love" Frigga asked and Wanda nodded, still watching the couple. She was fascinated, and so was Peter and Strange, not used to see Loki like this.  
"I would prefer if you didn't stare at us" Cara said, knowing Loki would not like that. But she didn't want to say that, so instead she said that she didn't like it. Loki pulled her closer, to show how grateful he was.  
"Sorry Cara" Steve said and she just nodded.

"So, besides this other dude that we need to watch out for, we should be safe? Or not in more danger at least?" Clint asked.  
"No. We have everything under control. Making sure that the people that have touched prince Loki don't come near him again. And will be punished in court" Erik answered.  
"Don't Odin think this is strange? People disappearing, being arrested and you know all that?" Peter asked.  
"Odin haven't looked into it; he is to occupied searching for Prince Loki." Erik said.  
"Is he scared his son is going to come back and demand revenge?" Tony said with a smile.  
"I am not sure of that, or if he feels like he miss his own moments…" Erik stopped himself when he realised what he had said. Cara felt Loki get tensed in her  
arms, before he left the room without a word.  
"He did what?" Tony said with a disgusted voice.  
"I will kill him, I will kill him!" Thor said and stormed off with Volstagg, Hogun and Jane after him.  
Frigga started to cry and some of her friends tried to comfort her, but there were no words that could make it better. The other Avengers looked mad, sad and disgusted.  
"That man…" Tony started but he got too angry to say anything, and he screamed again.

Cara looked at them all before she just left the room to find Loki. She battled with her own feelings. She could not hate Odin more then she already did, she had no more emotions to express when it came to that man. All she wanted to do was to threw him into the same pit her father now rotted in. And she tried not to feel bad for Loki, knowing that wasn't what he needed. But it was hard not to.  
Cara stopped in the corridor when she felt her tears starting to fall. She felt like screaming but she didn't, instead she drew her hand into the wall. She felt the pain and for a second she smiled, that pain took away the other pain. But her wound soon started to heal and she knew that she needed to calm down. She just didn't know how to handle the situation. She hadn't experienced anything like this before. None of the people she knew had been abused sexually by their father. But she felt like she needed to be there for Loki, and for that she had to push aside all her own feelings. She took a deep breath and looked away her feelings before she walked to Loki's room.

* * *

Cara knocked, but didn't get an answer, and at first she thought of going back to the others, but she felt like she needed to talk or at least see Loki. So she tried the door, but it was locked and Cara sighed. That meant that she needed to use her own key, she had never told Loki about it, and she knew that he wouldn't be happy about it. But she had no choice, she wanted to be there for him. She put the key in the keyhole and opened the door.

Loki was standing at the window, looking out. He did nothing to show that he had heard her, but Cara knew that he had.  
"You said I was the only one with a key" he finally said and Cara looked down at her key.  
"I did" she only answered.  
"You lied to me" Loki answered, and Cara understood that he wanted her to talk about something else, or even start a fight, so she would forget about Odin.  
"I lied to you" she admitted, not wanting to start a fight. She wouldn't force him to say anything, she could never do that. "I can tell you that it was because I was worried that you would do something to hurt yourself. That isn't an uncommon reaction when you get free. And I hoped that I never needed to use the key. But telling you that won't change that I had a key"  
"I thought we didn't lied to each other" Loki said with a cold voice and Cara decided to sit down on the floor, deciding not to get closer to Loki as it was now.  
"We shouldn't do that, and I am sorry that I did" she said and looked at the key before she threw it through the room, next to Loki. "Now you are the only one with the key"  
"Another lie?" Loki asked and Cara didn't answer. Now when Loki was more like himself, he could almost always tell if she was lying or not. She needed to hide the lie really well to hide it from her, and right now she didn't. So she was sure that he knew that it wasn't a lie.

* * *

"Cara why are you here?" Loki asked after a few moments, still not looking at her. "Are you here to make me talk? Because you feel sorry for me? Or do you have some other agenda?"  
"I am not here to make you talk, but I will let you know, if you ever want too, you can. And I would be lying if I said I don't feel sorry for you, but that's not why I am here. And I don't pity you if that's what you are worried about. I would say that I am rather mad that all this is happening to you, because you haven't made anything to cause it" Cara said honestly. "No I am here because I love you, and because I want you to know that you aren't alone. That's my only reason. You don't need to talk to me, or even pretend I am here. I just don't want you to be alone"

Loki didn't answer her, he kept looking out from the window and Cara closed her eyes and started to sing a song to herself, a song she used to sing when she was captured.  
 _"Little girl, little girl, don't lie to me. Tell me where did you sleep last night? In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines. Will shiver the whole night through_ " she started, remembering the feelings from her captivity, but the song didn't bring bad memories, it gave her peace.  
" _My daddy was a railroad man. Killed a mile and a half from here. His head, was found, in a driver's wheel. His body was never found."_ She continued " _In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines. Will shiver the whole night through. You've caused me to weep, you've caused me to mourn. You caused me to lose my home._ "  
She felt the familiar calm, she always got from the song.  
" _Little girl, little girl, where'd you sleep last night? Not even your mother knows. In the pines, in the pines, where the sun never shines. Will shiver when the cold winds blow._ " When she got to the end she started all over.

* * *

When she started to sing it for the third time Loki spook to her again.  
"What song is that?" he asked and Cara opened her eyes to see that he now looked at her.  
"It's a song an old friend thought me. I sing it when I get captured" she answered.  
"So why sing it now?" Loki asked and Cara shrugged her shoulders.  
"I don't know. Maybe because it always calms me down. Or maybe because I feel captured. I don't have the power to help you as much as I want. It's a cage without bars, but it's another cage" she admitted.  
"Is that how you see this? Us? As a cage?" Loki asked and Cara shook her head.  
"No. I don't feel like I am in a cage when I am with you. But I feel that I am in a cage of hopelessness when it comes to Odin. I can't do anything to defeat him, no matter how much I want. I am not strong enough, and not being able to help you, well it makes me sad, to be honest" she said.  
"I don't want you to go up against Odin, I do not wish to see you dead" Loki said and Cara smiled.  
"That's why I won't do it. I am not strong enough, and I have no intention on dying"  
"None do" Loki said and Cara nodded in agreement. "Promise me that you never go up against Odin! You don't know what he is capable off"  
"That I am not, and I don't even dare to dream off what he can do. But I promise that I won't go up against Odin" Cara said and Loki nodded.  
"Can I sit next to you?" he asked.  
"Such a silly question" she just answered and Loki walked over to her and sat down. He leaned against her and they just sat there.

* * *

"The first time he visited me was a week after he placed me in the cell" Loki said and Cara stopped him.  
"You don't need to say anything. And don't feel like you owe it to me or something" Cara told him. She didn't want to force him to say anything.  
"I am telling you because I need to get it out of my system, and I trust you" Loki assured her and Cara nodded, letting him know that he could continue. And at the same moment, she told herself not to be angry.

"First I actually thought he came to say he was sorry. Pathetic, I know. But some part of me wanted to hope. And if he didn't want to say he was sorry, I wished for him to at least tell me something good, like mother missed me, or even that Thor missed me. Such a silly thought, knowing how much I hated Thor back then, or thought that I hated him. But seeing him there in my cell, gave me some sort of hope, for a short time." Loki started before he needed to take a break, and Cara didn't say anything, not wanting to push him. She wanted him to feel like he could stop whenever he felt like it.

"I don't know if it was now I realised that he had used me my whole life, or if it was further down the road. Maybe I always have known. But for some reason I couldn't be disappointed at it, not at that moment at least. Because he was down in my cell, saying bad things about me, things I don't remember. But my guess would be that I was a bad son, a failure and those things he used to say. But I smiled at that moment, because he was down in my cell, and he gave me attention, not Thor. Looking back at it, it wasn't the right reaction, but I couldn't help it" Loki stopped again and this time it took him longer to keep talking.

"And I was stupid enough to talk back, like I always did, not knowing when to be quiet. Something I learned after a while. My guess is that you know how it feels" Loki said and Cara slowly nodded. "Fandral likes to take pride of teaching me that, but when he got into the picture, I almost never spook. I am not sure if it's my father or Abjorn that made me be quiet, maybe both. But it's not important. And talking about Abjorn, I don't think I can open that door right now"  
Cara offered her hand and Loki took it. She felt like she shouldn't touch him unless he felt like it, not right now at least. She did not wish to bring out more memories by acting stupid.

"Anyway, the first time my father visited me he didn't do anything. He just talked and hit me. But to be honest, that didn't surprise me. He has often said that he wanted to hit me. My guess would be that mother's presence stopped that, but with her out of the picture he could do what he felt like. After the first visit it took him two weeks to come back, I think. I am not too sure about the timeframe. That time he rarely said a word, the thing I remember him saying was that he cursed me for my looks. Guess he like so many others are drawn to me for my looks, feeling that they need to have me. And what could I do to stop him? Nothing. He forced me up against the wall, pressing his lips against mine before he forced his tongue down my throat. I tried to break free, but he did hold me and I was not able to use my magic. I could feel his erection, if he got hard from the kiss or already was when he got down to me, I don't know. And I don't know if he wanted me to be hard with him or not, because he grabbed me, and tried to play with me. I don't know what is thought was, but as you may understand I couldn't get hard, not that it didn't seem to bother him. No not at all, he didn't even seem to notice. Instead he tore of my clothes, and smiled when he saw me. And I didn't know what to do, I tried to break free again, but I couldn't. Instead he pressed me harder against the wall, as he started to explore my body with his hand and tongue, now praising my body. It didn't take long before he pressed his finger inside of me, which made me scream in pain, something that turned him on more. It didn't take me long to learn that. But this first time I didn't know, and I screamed when he pressed in a second and a third finger inside of me. Odin seemed pleased with it and it didn't take long until he unbelted his trousers and turned me to face the wall. He forced himself into me, and he soon found a rhythm that he preferred, not caring about what happened to me. He just kept going until he was done and pulled out with a big smile. After that he just got dressed and left me without a word" Loki whispered and Cara had yet not said anything. "It took him a month to come back. In the beginning I think he was unsure about it, trying to fight it. But in the end he come at least once a week. And sometime during my time in the cell he and Abjorn started talking about how to treat me, what to do and not to do. They got together sometimes and…"  
Loki stopped and Cara heard that he was crying and she soon felt her own tears start to fall.

* * *

Cara didn't know when Loki felt asleep, but she was glad that he had. Because she had tried not to show him how much it hurt to hear him talk about it. She had suppressed her anger, still did, knowing that she couldn't be angry around Loki, not with that. She didn't want him to think that she was angry at him. So now she sat on the floor, Loki sleeping against her, looking up at the ceiling and not knowing what to do. She hadn't grasped her head around all this, and she wasn't sure she ever would. But her feelings weren't important now. It was Loki who was, and she would do anything to make him feel better again. And she hoped that she would see Odin die for what he have done!

Cara got interrupted when it knocked on the door, and she waved her hand and the door opened and she saw Frigga standing there. She signed that she should be quiet when she walked in. Frigga smiled as she almost tiptoed over to them. Cara could tell that she still was upset about the information she got, but seeing Loki sleeping at some peace, seemed to ease her a bit.  
"How is he doing?" Frigga whispered.  
"I can't tell." Cara answered and Frigga gave her youngest a concern look.  
"I just wanted to tell you that we have decided that we will attack Odin in early January. Given us around four months to prepare and gather our troops" Frigga informed her and Cara nodded.  
"Thank you for letting me know" Cara smiled towards her and Frigga smiled back.  
"I will stay until tomorrow, let me know if you need anything" she said.  
"Tell the twins good night from us. And tell them that Fai can sleep with them if they want" Cara said.  
"I will do that. Take care of him" Frigga said as she left the room and Cara smiled, she would always take care of Loki. She carefully leaned her own head against his, feeling that she could try to get some sleep as well, no need for her to stay awake. And by going to sleep, she didn't have to deal with her feelings right now, and the problem of not knowing hot to handle the situation. Cara closed here eyes and soon she had fallen asleep, next to Loki on the floor.


	28. Happy Halloween

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the next chapter. And it took me the whole day to write it, since I got a bit side tracked a few times. Haha but well yeah. I had fun writing this chapter, even if that may be the wrong thing to say. But I had the scene in the end, planned for the longest time, and I am glad I got there. And the next time I will go to the rest of the scene. 
> 
> I also had Loki's actions planed for the longest time, I just wanted them to be at the right time, and for me it was. For Loki, not so much. Haha
> 
> And yeah the characters they are, well most of them are obvious. But well I can say that Clint and Natasha are mr. and mrs. Addams, from Addams family.  
> Cara is Sansa from Game of Thrones, and she is my favorite character in real life, so that's why she was her.   
> And Hans Solo is ofc from Star Wars.  
> Tony and Pepper are Elizabeth and Will from Pirates of Caribbean.  
> Thor and Jane are well the Flintstones.  
> And Steve and Peggy are from the Zorro movies.  
> Don't think I need to explain the kids costume.  
> And I didn't mention that Wanda is dressed up as a vampire, or that Strange is Sherlock Holmes (haha just because I could). But I thought they were, but didn't mention it. But you can see them as that.
> 
> I don't think I have so much more to say. The most is self explained in the chapter.
> 
> And as always, thank you to my readers, you are the best!
> 
> I hope this chapter will be to your likening :)

 "So what are we are doing?" Loki asked and he gave her a very puzzled look, and Cara laughed.  
"We are going to celebrate Halloween" she informed him.  
"And that is? And an even more important question is, why?" Loki stood next to her and looked at the common room, who was stocked with pumpkins.  
"It's an holiday here on earth. I must admit that I am a bit unsure about its history. I know it's a Celtic tradition from the beginning, but I am not sure why they celebrated it. I think it was to keep in peace with the dead souls, but I may be wrong. During time it has changed to what it is today. Today it's just for fun. You dress up as something, normally things that people think is scary, and you have a party" Cara explained "And we are doing this because Tony insisted on it, and ones he started talking your kids more or less demanded to do it"  
"Remind me that they should spend less time with him" Loki said and Cara smiled.  
"This is really fun Loki. It's one of my favourite holidays. You can be someone else for a night, and if you feel like it, you can try to scare your friends" Cara looked at him and Loki just shook his head.  
"It's seems so pointless and silly" he said and Cara laughed again.  
"It is, but everything doesn't need to have meaning. You can do things just because it's fun" she said "But I am not going to force you to participate, but I am going to. And your son's is going to too, and I am sure that they would love if you were there"  
"You had to play that card" Loki said and Cara just smiled as she walked over to some pumpkins.  
"I didn't play any card, I just told you the truth" she said ad Tony walked into the room, caring more pumpkins as he talked to Pepper.

"You don't think we have enough pumpkins?" Pepper asked.  
"Not yet. I promised the kids a lot of pumpkins, and I am going to give them that" Tony said and Cara looked at Loki who smiled at Tony's words.  
"You are going to trip if you carry them all" Loki said to Tony as he took some of the pumpkins.  
"Thank you Reindeer games" Tony said. Cara watched both of them and smiled. She was glad that they had become better friends. And she was also really happy that everything had gotten back to somewhat normal.

The past month had been hard for Loki, Cara knew that. He hated that everyone knew about Odin, even if they didn't know the details. He had avoided them at first, and Cara didn't know if it was for the best or not. The others had been angry, they hadn't known how to handle the situation, not at all. And every time they saw Loki, they either tried to act normal but failed, or they got sad, and almost pity him, something he hated. Cara had been forced to talk to them, and try to tell them how to act. But it hadn't been easy for her, since she wasn't sure herself. She had tried to act normal around Loki, letting him know that she was there, and nothing had changed. And it hadn't, not between them. She was just angry every time she thought of Odin, and in the beginning it had been all the time. But she had forced herself to stop. She could do nothing about Odin, not now, not later. She had to wait until they tried to take him down, and then see Odin got his punishment. Until then she forced all thoughts and feelings away. And in the end she stopped thinking about Odin, and things got easier, at least for now. But since she could do nothing, she knew that it was no idea to think about it, and run things with Loki.

And after some time the others got that too. And things started to become normal, and they all put their feelings away, for Loki's sake. After some time, Loki started to act like himself around them too. They all pretended that they knew nothing, and they made it work.  
It was around that time Tony had thought it was a great idea to have a party. A time for all their friends to have a nice time, and just some fun. Not worrying about the upcoming fight, or anything else. And when Tony described what Halloween was to the twins, they wanted to try it, thinking it sounded fun. So now they all prepared for tonight's evening.

Cara lifted up a pumpkin and looked at it with a smile.  
"Thinking of carving it?" Tony asked when he put down the pumpkins he had in his arms. Cara nodded towards him. "Feel free, just know that I am the best at carving pumpkins! In the whole world"  
"Carving pumpkins? Why?" Loki asked as he put down his and Cara took up one.  
"You put a candle in them, and as you soon will see, I am not too bad at it" she said with a smile towards Tony.  
"Give it your best shoot, but no magic!" he said and Cara laughed.  
"I will only use magic when I take out the meat in it. It will take too long to show Loki, otherwise" she said and Tony agreed and when Cara had removed the meat she started to carving.

When she was done she had carved a zombie on it and Tony looked at it in shook.  
"How? So fast" he just said and Cara laughed. "This look really realistic, I think"  
"How? Well I have friends who are surgeons, they thought me how to use a scalpel, and I am an artist. That and it's not my first pumpkin" she said and then smiled "It is realistic, trust me, I have been really close to them"  
"How is it?" Tony asked and looked at her, when Loki took the pumpkin and looked at it.  
"Not as fun as you seem to think it is. They smell since they are dead, and if it's a lot of them, you can only hope for the best" she told him and then looked at Loki.  
"Can I try?" he asked and they nodded.  
"Go ahead reindeer" Tony said and Cara gave him the scalpel. "So what are you going to be?"  
"You will see" Cara just said.  
"I hate waiting. Can't you just give me a clue?" Tony said and Pepper shook her head.  
"He is hopeless. He has tried to tell everyone to tell them who they will be" Pepper said.  
"With any luck?" Cara asked and Tony looked proud.  
"I managed to get Thor to tell me that he and Jane will be Wilma and Fred Flintstone" Tony said.  
"Making my brother to talk isn't an achievement" Loki said without looking up from the pumpkin.  
"I also made Steve tell me that he and Peggy will be Zorro and Elena" Tony bragged.  
"Making Steve talk isn't an achievement either. You need to make Natasha or Clint talk for it to be" Loki said and Cara laughed, and so did Pepper.  
"Hey, you are supposed to me on my side" Tony said to Pepper who just smiled.  
"What are you going to be?" Cara asked and Tony looked proud.  
"We are going to be Will Turner and Elizabeth Sawnn" Pepper said.  
"Why did you tell her? Now it's not a surprise anymore" Tony said and sounded like a kid and Cara just smiled.

"I am done" Loki said and they looked over at his pumpkin.  
"Wow" Tony said and looked at the cat. "How did you do that? Damn you two, I was the best"  
Cara and Loki just laughed at Tony.  
"Live for a hundred of years, and you will pick up a few things, Tony" Loki just teased and Tony sighed.  
"You can't do any more pumpkins!" he said.  
"Well then we leave" Cara said and took Loki's hand as they walked off.

* * *

 

"So do you want to participate tonight?" Cara asked as they walked toward Loki's room.  
"If it makes you and the kids happy I will" Loki said and kissed her on the forehead.  
"It will makes us happy. But don't force yourself to go for our sake. I want you to enjoy it" Cara said. She would love to have Loki there, but not if he didn't want to.  
"I am still not good on enjoying things without a point, but I can't get better without practise. And I am sure I will enjoy seeing my brother and friends looking silly" Loki said and Cara stared at him, and at once Loki looked really unsure.  
"Oh sorry Loki, I just was surprised, I haven't heard you call them friends before" she said and Loki didn't say anything. "Loki it's a good thing"  
"I guess you are right. I just…I don't know. It scares me" he admitted and Cara nodded.  
"First off, I am always right" she joked "And it's alright to be scared. But we take one step at a time. And admitting you are friends is a great start" she said with a smile as they walked into Loki's room.

"So what do you want to be?" Cara asked when they got to Loki's room.  
"I don't know" Loki said as he sat down in a chair. "I don't do things like this. Can you be anyone?"  
"You can be anyone. People often goes for something scary, but it's not necessary" Cara explained. At those word Loki just nodded before he started to think and Cara gave him time, as she smiled. She thought it was wonderful that Loki wanted to do something like that.

She thought of how it was when they first met years ago. How Loki back then had been alone, how he barely cared about people, and how all he wanted was the approval of Odin. How he was so different when they started to hang out. Unsure how to be around her, not wanting to let her in, not wanting her to know the real him. How he always kept secrets from her. She had never said anything about it, letting time has it course. It took her a long time to get to know Loki, to understand him. But she was glad that she took the time to do so. Even if it had ended in tears that time. She had been devastated and angrier then she could explain, not at Loki, no at Thor and Odin. She knew now why Odin had done what he had done, and Thor, he had really tried. Cara had understood that. Thor had been blind and not the brother he could have been, but he really had tried to save Loki at the end. But none of that mattered now, she had Loki back in her life. And even if he had changed, it was still Loki. And no matter what change he did, she would always love him.

"What?" Loki asked and Cara realised that she had been looking at him.  
"Nothing, I am just glad to have you back in my life" she admitted and Loki looked a bit puzzled about it at first.  
"Oh. I am sorry for ever leaving you" Loki said in a low voice, and Cara could hear how much he blamed himself.  
"Don't be. I fully understand why you did it, and I do not blame you" Cara said and took Loki's hand. The god slowly nodded, understanding that she really meant it. "So do you know what you want to be?"  
"I think so" Loki said "As long as you don't want to do that couple things the others does?"  
"No I already have my costume, and as long as you don't want to do that, I am fine" Cara told him. She had decided what she would be a few days ago.  
"I am thinking of going as a frost giant, if you wouldn't mind" Loki whispered, and Cara smiled. She knew how much Loki had struggle with his heritage, and to hear him say he wanted to go as one, made her happy.  
"I would not mind that. I have always liked your blue form" she said and Loki looked at her.  
"Really?" he asked, surprised.  
"Yes. You always look good Loki, but it's something special when you are blue" she admitted and Loki blushed, and Cara laughed a warm laugh.  
"I didn't know you was into that" Loki teased and Cara just shrugged her shoulders.  
"I am sure that I wouldn't be, if it wasn't you" she said and Loki leaned forward and kissed her.  
"Glad to hear that I don't need to worry about other frost giants" Loki said when they parted and she smiled.  
"That you don't need to do" Cara said. Not that he would need to worry about anyone else in this world. She would not leave him. "But let's get changed"

* * *

 

Cara looked at her reflections and was finishing her hair when Loki walked out from the closet. Cara looked at him with a smile.  
"You really do look good as that" she said and walked over to him. "And in the uniform too"  
"It's a traditional royal family gown" Loki explained and then looked at her, as she stood there in her black dress.  
"You look good too my Lady" he teased "Not that I know who you are"  
"You went with Sansa Stark?" Tony said as he walked into the room in his costume.  
"I did" Cara answered.  
"Why on earth would you do that?" he asked and Cara rolled her eyes.  
"Because I like her very much, and before you ask why, it's because she reminds me of myself. Starting as a naïve girl, thinking that life would be in a certain way, before I realised that would not happen. Having to fight for my life and what I want, and learn how to play the game. And taking back what's mine" Cara told him and Tony was about to say something but stopped, realising that he could not win the argument with Cara.

So instead Tony turned towards Loki and he whistled.  
"Wow you look really good in blue. Sexy in a strange way" Tony said and Loki looked down.  
"Tony" Pepper said as she stood behind him.  
"What he does! Can I like you?" he asked without thinking, both Cara and Pepper hit him.  
"I apologise for him Loki" Pepper said and Loki only nodded.  
"Who on earth if they can lick someone, Tony?" Cara asked.  
"Like you wouldn't lick him? He looks amazing, and like a big popsicle" Tony said.  
"Well try to lick him and you will die!" Cara said.  
"I know that you would kill me" Tony said and Cara shook her head.  
"I wouldn't need, you would freeze to death first" Cara informed him.  
"Really? That makes it even hotter. He is so cool" Tony said, looking at Loki. And he couldn't help himself. He wasn't into guys, but he would be for Loki.  
"I do apologise for him" Pepper said and then turned to Tony. "If you don't shut up, I may actually ask Loki to freeze you"  
"But…" Tony started but when he saw Pepper's look he stopped talking about it. "You are all so boring. Anyway, we just come here to tell you that most people have arrived"  
"Then let's go" Cara said and offered Loki her hand, but he looked really unsure. "Oh don't worry, you will not freeze me. I just use warm magic"  
"And it will work? I do not wish to hurt you" Loki said and Cara smiled.  
"Only one way to figure out" she said and took Loki's hand. Loki gave her a horrified look and she smiled. "Told you it would work"  
Cara showed her hand and laughed.  
"Very funny" Loki said as they walked out to the others.

* * *

 

The common room was decorated as a cemetery, with graves all over the room. Trees around the room, spider webs hanging over the celling, most likely Peter's doing. The pumpkins was places all over the room, together with candles, and the whole room was covered in mist.  
"Is this how you do it?" Loki asked.  
"It can be. You can more or less do it anyway you want" Cara said and took a wine glass and handled over one to Loki.  
"Thought Sansa was too young to drink" Tony said and Cara smiled.  
"When the show started she was, but not anymore" Cara told him. "And I thought that Will only could be on land, one day each tenth year. And I am sure that it wasn't on Halloween"  
"It is!" Tony answered, a bit grumpy that he was beaten on his own game, but Pepper laughed.  
"You are supposed to be my wife!" Tony said.  
"As your wife I don't agree with you all the time. I do not agree with this tenth year thing" Pepper said.  
"Not you too" Tony said.

"No one will ever agree with you" Clint said when he walked over.  
"Hello Gomez, where do you have your wife Morticia?" Cara asked.  
"She is getting drinks" Clint said just as Natasha walked over to them in a long black dress.  
"I am not the only one wearing black this night" Natasha said and looked at Cara.  
"That you aren't. Even if you are the one scarier looking" Cara smiled.  
"I may look scarier, but I am sure Sansa could take Morticia" Natasha said.  
"She may" Cara only answered, not sure how well Sansa would handle a battle.  
"And you are…blue" Clint said and looked at Loki. "What is it? Body paint?"  
Clint was about to touch him when Cara stopped him.  
"I wouldn't do that if I was you" She started before Tony interrupted her.  
"He will freeze you, apparently" Tony said.  
"And you know this how? Did you ask if you could lick him Tony? Damn you did. What is wrong with you?" Clint asked and soon the two of them was arguing and the others just left them.

"Father" Narfi called and ran over with Váli next to him. Cara looked at the twins in their Mario and Luigi costumes and smiled. They had started to take a liking to video games, and they really liked playing different Mario games.  
"Hello" Loki said and sat down to hug them, being careful to turn into his normal skin, so he wouldn't freeze them.  
"Mother" the twins said and looked at her when they got their hugs from Loki.  
"Hi" Cara said and hugged them too.  
"This is so cool" Narfi said and looked at the room.  
"And so fun" Váli said and both her and Loki smiled, glad the twins enjoyed themselves.  
"Have you seen Thor? He looks so funny" Narfi said and giggled.  
"We haven't seen him yet. But we will watch out for him" Cara said and the twins nodded.  
"That's Peter" they said before they ran off to the teenage boy who was dressed as a zombie.  
"Let's see if we can find your brother" Cara said and took Loki's hand again.

* * *

 

Everyone enjoyed themselves, having a great night, with games, stories and amazing food. Tony had invited everyone that would take part in the attacking, so everyone would get to know each other better, and it had worked. Everyone had started to know each other, and Cara had smiled when Loki had talked to a lot of different people, acting more like his old self.  
"He seems to have fun" Tony said when he come up to her, looking at Loki, who was talking with Stephen and Erik.  
"He has" Cara told him "Thank you for everything"  
"I didn't do anything" Tony said.  
"You do more than you think. And even if you handled it the wrong way earlier with Loki being blue, he appreciated it. He has a hard time accepting his heritage, but knowing that people accept it makes him happy, even if he doesn't say anything" Cara said and took a sip of her wine.  
"That's how he looks normally?" Tony said surprised and Cara laughed.  
"It is. Or it would have been if Odin didn't change it" Cara said.  
"When did he figure it out?" Tony asked, thinking he also would have a hard time accepting something like that.  
"The first time I was in Asgard. So not that long ago" Cara said.  
"That must have been hard. Glad he had you" Tony said with a smile, knowing that Cara would have accepted Loki like that without a problem. Cara didn't say anything about it, she just smiled.

"Do you want something Reindeer games?" Tony asked when Loki walked over.  
"I would love to have a moment with Cara" Loki said and Tony pretended to think about it.  
"Guess I can let you have a moment with her" he answered.  
"That's very generous of you" Loki answered.  
"Don't tell Cara, but I am very sure that she would leave me here, and go with you, even if I said no" Tony said with a smile.  
"You think I would do something like that?" Cara asked and pretended to be shocked at Tony's words, before she took Loki's hand and walked off.

* * *

 

They walked out on the balcony and watched over the city.  
"Did you need something Loki?" Cara asked when he hugged her from behind.  
"Just a break from everything. It did become a bit too much" he said and Cara nodded in his arms.  
"Take as long as you need." She told him and looked out over the city. "I am proud of you, for handling the night so well"  
Loki didn't answer her, he just kissed her temple and pulled her closer. Cara leaned into the hug and they stood there under the stars, in silent. Enjoying each other's company. Cara could have stood there forever, with closed eyes, if Loki hadn't spoken again.  
"Cara?" he asked and she nodded. "I feel like I can never thank you enough for being by my side through everything. For tolerate everything. You do it without a doubt and I am surprised that you haven't given up at me already. You stood by my side the first time, and then I left you. When we saw each other again, I wasn't myself. But you still stayed. And I gave you such a hard time, being scared of everything, not talking or trusting anyone. Making it all difficult for you. Then when I started to be less scared, I become a mess, not knowing how to handle everything that come after, but you still stayed. And I am forever thankful for that, more than I can express, in words. Even me, who has a silver tongue, can't tell you how I feel"  
Cara turned around to face Loki and she smiled towards him.  
"You don't need to thank me, or say anything. I know how you feel" she said but Loki shook his head.  
"I do need to thank you. And I want to let you know that I will always be here for you, trying to make you happy everyday" Loki started as he took her left hand "I may not be able to express what I feel in words, but I may express it with actions."  
Cara looked shocked at Loki, she could guess what this was heading, but it wasn't something she had thought of, or been prepared on. For a second she felt like the world had stopped, so she could try to catch up. She was about to say something when they got interrupted by the twins.

"Father? Mother?" they said when they ran over to them, and both turned to face them.  
"Yes?" Loki asked in a calm voice, and Cara was glad that he didn't get mad at them for interrupting. But she knew that Loki would never do that, loving his children to much for that. And Cara was also glad that the twins had interrupted, so she would get some time to prepare herself.  
"Peter and Tony told us about trick and treat. May we do it?" Váli asked, and Loki gave them a questioning look.  
"Trick or treat is when you go from house to house and knocks on doors. You ask trick or treat. If the person say trick, you do a trick on them, otherwise they say treat and give you candy" Cara explained, and at ones Loki looked really unsure, knowing that it meant that they had to leave the tower to do that.  
"He is still out there" Loki whispered to her and Cara nodded. She knew that Loki was thinking of Abjorn. Cara didn't know what to answer him. She also knew that he was out there, somewhere. But as she looked at the twins they looked really hopeful.  
"What if we ask the others to join us? With the Avengers, Peter, Wanda, and Stephen, we should be safe" Cara said and Loki thought about it, also looking at the twins.  
"Let's ask the others" Loki said and the twins looked at them with really bug eyes, before they hugged them and ran inside, to talk to the others.

* * *

 

Soon they were walking on the streets of New York with other kids and their families. The twins walked in the front with Peter and Wanda. The twins were really excited about getting candy, but even more about the tricks, and the older teenager seemed to share their joy. Tony and Bruce walked behind them, talking about how you could build realistic holograms to make monsters, that would scare everyone. Behind them walked Steve, Thor and Stephen, talking about different costume. Cara and Loki walked behind them, and Cara just walked next to Loki, holding his hand, trying to calm him. Loki was far from calm, but he pretended to be for his son's sake, wanting to give them an amazing night. The spies walked at the back, talking about which costume would be best suited for fighting.

They all walked from house to house, and they had a nice time. The twins laughed, and seeing them happy, made the rest of them happy too.  
"It's worth it" Loki said to Cara and she looked at him. "They are laughing. And even if I am scared, it's worth it"  
Cara smiled at those words.  
"They seem to be really happy. And putting aside your own fear for their sake, it's really brave of you. You are a good father" Cara told him and Loki slowly nodded.  
"I wish I could let them out more often. Forcing them to stay in the tower, it's unfair" Loki said.  
"That isn't your fault" Cara told him, and she meant it. "And they don't think that either"  
"Do you want some candy?" the twins asked when they walked back to them from the house they had knocked on.  
"Can we?" Cara asked and the twins nodded. "Thank you very much"  
Cara took a peace of chocolate and so did Loki. They both smiled towards the twins, before they ran off, offering everyone some candy.  
"They are really sweet." Cara said and Loki smiled proudly at his children, as they kept walking to the next house. The teenagers pointed at an apartment complex.  
"We can get a lot of candies there!" Peter said and the twins smiled as they walked in.

"Wish I was younger. I miss doing trick or treat" Tony said as the kids started to knock on the first door.  
"I never did it" Steve admitted.  
"You didn't?" Tony asked and Steve shook his head. "Then go with them"  
Tony gave Steve a bag and dragged him over to the kids, explaining to them, that Steve had never gone trick or treat. The twins took his hands and made Steve walk with them.  
"That was nice of you" Bruce said to Tony who laughed.  
"Can't teas him all the time" Tony said as they kept walking.

* * *

 

"How many damn floors does this building have?" Tony complained, feeling bored.  
"Fifteen more" Clint said and Tony sighed.  
"You know what, I am going to go outside, can't be more boring than here" Tony said. "Sorry Loki, I know your kids love it, but I will wait outside"  
"It's alright Tony" Loki said and Tony left to go outside, as the other walked to the next door.

After awhile Clint and Bruce had also stepped outside. Bruce went outside after some kids realised he was The Hulk, even if he was dressed as Hans Solo. And when they did they had tried to make him angry, so in the end he needed to get away, and Clint said he should go with him, to make sure he was alright. Clint would never admit that he went with Bruce because he was bored. The others kept walking, and the only one being excited by now was Thor, who had joined the kids and Steve in the front. Natasha and Stephen didn't complain or even showed that they were bored, you could more feel it in the air. Cara hide it really well, not wanting to make the kids disappointed, but when Loki turned to her and smiled, before he asked if he could talk to her again, she didn't say no. Even if she knew what he wanted to talk about, and she hadn't had time to grasp or know what to do, it was better than walking eight more floors.

When Cara and Loki walked outside, the street had started to empty. Less people was walking from house to house, and Cara guessed it was starting to get late. She looked around for the others, but she didn't see them. She thought that it was really strange, and she got the feeling that something was wrong at once. And Loki felt it too. Cara could tell that he got really nervous.  
"Where are they?" Loki asked and Cara looked around again.  
"There!" Cara said as she saw them sitting on a bench, on the other side of the street. Both Cara and Loki looked at each other with a smile before they laughed. They both know that they had gotten really nervous, without a real reason. The others had just thought it would look strange if they stood on the steps to the building, and walked away a bit. And at ones they had become nervous.

After they stopped laughing Loki took Cara's hand and he smiled at her, as he walked towards the other side of the street, but a bit to the left of the others. Cara thought it was because he wanted to talk to her without the others hearing, but he still wanted them close. Loki guided her to pond, in a little green area behind the others. Cara looked at the pond who had fishes and she smiled. She made some bread appear before she gave some to Loki, and they feed the fishes.  
"Cara?" Loki asked her when they had no bread left, and she looked at him.  
"Yeah?" she asked, thinking it was the only thing she could answer.  
"Earlier tonight" he started and took her hand again. "I know that you said that this wasn't necessary, and I am sorry if I am asking something you do not wish for. If it is, I will not force you to say yes"  
Loki stopped again, and Cara could tell that he was really nervous, but she smiled towards him, not being able to do something else. All her thoughts were rushing through hr minds, and she couldn't even try to catch one of them. So instead she smiled towards Loki as he got down on one knee and reviled a ring. Cara looked at the ring in copper, with runes and a stone in front.

"Cara, will you marry me?" Loki asked as he smiled towards her, and even if she knew that was what he was going to ask, her mind still didn't catch up. She looked at him, smiled but she couldn't answer. It wasn't like she didn't want to marry Loki; she was just scared of the thought to get married again. Every time she did, it ended bad. And she didn't want this to end bad. But she didn't want to say no either. And as soon as her brain got to that solution she knew that she wanted to say yes, and she was just about to say yes when she heard steps and someone clapping hands.  
"Not bad Loki" an unfamiliar voice said, and unfamiliar for her. Cara looked at Loki, who had frozen on the spot, and she saw the fear in his eyes, and that was all that she needed to see, to know that it was Abjorn. Cara pulled Loki to his feet and stood in front of him, when she heard laughter from the dark, Abjorn wasn't alone.  
"Do you need a little girl to protect you Loki" another voice said and more people laughed. Cara took Loki's hand, as she looked over to the Avengers.  
"Don't expect them to help you. I have frozen them" Abjorn said and Cara looked at him as he now walked out from the dark. He was a big man, both tall and muscular. He had red hair and bear, and Cara knew that this was a man she would avoid if she travelled alone. As he took a step closer, Cara let the magic flow in her left hand, prepared for a fight.  
"He asked you a question Lady. Aren't you going to answer him?" Abjorn asked and Cara looked at Loki for a second, and smiled towards him.  
"I will marry you Loki" she said and kissed his hand, and that seemed to get Loki's attention. He smiled a weak smile towards her, before he turned back to look at Abjorn.  
"Congratulations to you both. It's a shame that it won't be a wedding" Abjorn said as he stepped forward, laughing. At once Cara let go of her magic, sending it in Abjorn direction. But her magic never reached him. It disappeared halfway.  
"Did I forgot to mention, that Odin made magic useless around me?" he said and Cara cursed as she instead was forced to fight with her body, or some other weapon. She knew that she wasn't nearly as strong as Abjorn. And she didn't have any weapon on her, so she tried to make one appear magical, but now Abjorn had gotten closer and she felt that her magic didn't work at all.

Cara looked at Abjorn and as he tried to grasp her, she jumped back, but her dress didn't let her move as freely as she wanted. If she had time she would have cursed it, but she didn't have time. She could only act as Abjorn attacked her again, working with what she had. She tried to stay between Abjorn and Loki all the time. She didn't know what to do. Cara had the disadvantage here, since she could use no magic, didn't have any weapon and was weaker than the big man in front of her. Abjorn attacked again and Cara avoided the blow, and at the same time she kicked him in the side, as well as she could in the dress. Abjorn moved a bit to the side, but that was all.  
"Not bad, not bad" he said to her as he kept walking towards her. Repeating the process.

"Well this stopped being funny. Take him!" Abjorn said and the other men stepped in, and Cara tried to fight them off as they got closer to Loki. At this moment Loki had woken up and he tried to fight the other men too, and he did better than she did. It didn't stop Cara from trying, until someone grabbed her arms. She tried to break free, but she soon found a hand around her throat.  
"Loki stop or I kill her" Abjorn said from behind her, and at once Loki stopped and looked at her.  
"Don't mind me Loki" Cara said and tried to break free, but Abjorn pressed his hand harder on her throat and it became harder to breath. At once Loki stopped fighting, and the second he did, he got over ran.  
"That was fun" Abjorn said and handled Cara over to another man, and walked over to Loki, who didn't look at him. "I have missed you so much"  
At those words he kicked Loki in the stomach and he sinking down on his knees.  
"Stop!" Cara screamed and manage to break free from the man holding her, as he wasn't as strong as Abjorn. Cara ran over to Loki, kneeling down beside him, she wanted to tell him that she was there.  
"What shall I do with you?" Abjorn asked as he pulled her up by the hair.  
"Kill her" one man said and some other men agreed. But Abjorn didn't listen to them, instead he looked closer at her.  
"I know you. You are the same woman that come to Asgard a few years ago." He said.  
"She is?" someone asked.  
"She is. So Loki ran to you, and you took him in with open arms." Abjorn said and looked between her and Loki.  
"So she is his whore" someone said.  
"Most likely. But she is a good looking one" another one said.  
"Let's take both, this is going to be fun" Abjorn interrupted them, before he looked at his men and they all disappeared from the place.


	29. In your arms

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am finally done! Damn this chapter took me forever to write. I felt like the time was never enough. I tried to get it done sooner but I couldn't. But I hope it was worth the waiting at least. And I will let you know that I am very happy about it.
> 
> The story is happening over a longer time, then normally, a month. But I hope it's still feels okay. But the good news is that we are closer to the fight against Odin. Only two months away. But I am sorry, you will get some other things in between. I do not wish to rush things. It never feels good to.
> 
> So I hope you will think the chapter is alright, and that I made you feel something. And I know that Loki changes in the end, it's the plan. Hope it's alright, and that you like it. Or that you at least understands him.
> 
> Jizabel and Cassian (and Cassandra, may that man burn in hell), is from a manga called Godchild. I think I have mentioned it before. And Jizabel getting raped by Cassandra is canon, but it isn't that well described. But it isn't something that I just made up.
> 
> Anyway, I don't think I have much more to say actually. Not more then that I love everyone of you that reads, and reviews the story, thank you.
> 
> That and, as always, enjoy :)

Suddenly Tony blinked and he could move again. He wasn't sure why he hadn't been able to do that before. But something stopped him. It was like the time had stopped, but at the same time not. He had heard Cara and Loki laugh before he saw them walk past him, but he couldn't move to talk to them. He didn't know why, or what was going on. Because as fast as it happened, as fast it was gone.

Tony looked at the others, Bruce and Clint looked as surprised as him.  
"What happened?" Bruce asked.  
"I don't know" Tony admitted. It wasn't he often admitted that, but this time he did.  
"Did I see Loki and Cara walk by?" Clint asked and Tony nodded. "Do you think Loki did something?"  
Tony hadn't thought about that. Was it a prank Loki played them? Maybe it was, but something told him it wasn't. The feeling wasn't a strong proof, but he was alive because he trusted his instinct.  
"I don't think so" Tony answered.  
"I think what happened, happened before Loki walked out from the building" Bruce said and Tony nodded. He had a feeling that was true.  
"I think we need to ask him" Clint said and started looking around. It was dark outside, but they had seen him walk towards the park. "They went that way"

* * *

The three of them walked towards the park, looking for the pair.  
"Maybe they wanted some alone time" Bruce said and Tony thought about it and smiled.  
"Maybe they are doing it on the grass" Tony said with a smiled.  
"I don't think Cara are the type that does it on the ground" Bruce answered and Tony laughed.  
"She does it with two people at the same time. So I don't think she is as innocent as you think" Bruce just gave Tony a look. "Fine. So where do you think they are?"  
"Not here" Clint said as he studied the ground.  
"What do you mean, not here?" Tony said. He didn't like the sound of that, not at all.  
"Look at the ground" Clint said and Tony did. He wasn't sure what he was looking at, the ground looked, messy, he guessed. "It was a struggle"  
Clint stood up.  
"Someone attacked them. They was ambushed and there was a fight" Clint told them.  
"Abjorn?" Tony asked.  
"Most likely" Clint answered. None of them had any proof for it, but it was the best guess. It would be a to coincident if it was someone else.  
"Did he take both of them?" Bruce asked, not sure if he hopped for that or not. If both of them was gone, it was a chance they both were alive.  
"I can't see any trace of them walking away, dragging someone with them. So my guess would be that they have both of them" Clint said.  
"How do we tell Thor this?" Tony asked. Knowing that the other god would be furious, to say at least.

* * *

Tony had been right. Thor was furious, and the weather showed it. A violent thunderstorm was raging over New York. None of the other Avengers had seen something like that before. Not even Jane or Frigga managed to calm Thor. The twins weren't sure what happened, all they knew was that their parents were gone. Pepper, Peggy and Frigga had offered to take care of them, hoping to calm them down, and spare them from the worst. And Frigga didn't want to know what happened to her youngest, not being able to handle it. The others didn't know what to do. They had told the others what happened or rather what they thought happened to Loki and Cara. And now they all tried to grasp the situation, and calm down Thor.  
"Where can they be?" Steve asked.  
"Everywhere. They can even have returned to Asgard" Clint said. "Their tracks just disappeared in thin air, so my guess is that they have some sort of magic"  
"Would they return to Asgard?" Natasha asked and looked at Thor who stopped for a moment.  
"My guess would be that they wouldn't, not until they are done with Loki" Thor said and looked at Volstagg and Hogun. "Can you return to Asgard, and let us know if they return there?"  
"We promise to let you know if they get there" Volstagg said and Hogun nodded and both of them left to return to Asgard.

"And now?" Bruce asked.  
"We need to find them somehow" Tony said, and it was the truth. They needed to find them. Not wanting to know what may happen to the other two.  
"Can we trace their magic?" Steve asked and Tony thought about it and looked up at Jarvis.  
"I can try sir. But, as it is now, I can't find them. My guess is that something is blocking their magic" Jarvis answered and the Avengers just nodded, disappointed.  
"Any other ideas?" Tony asked but no one answered. None of them know what to do.  
"I will look for them" Thor said, and before someone could stop him, he walked out onto the balcony and flew away. Tony understood his frustration, if something happened to someone he cared about, he would try anything to find them, even if it was a hopeless way.  
"Let's think of some way to help them" Steve said and the others nodded and tried to find a way.

* * *

Cara felt as the air left her lungs, when she hit the ground. She hid her pain, even if she felt some when she hit the dirty floor. She watched Loki who was at her side. He had tears in his eyes, and Cara saw the fear. She tried not to feel fear herself, but it was hard. She could imagine all too well what this people would do to them. But she wouldn't leave Loki. She was there for him; she had meant it. And she would protect Loki however she could. Not caring what would happen to her.  
Cara meet Loki's gaze, and it told her that he was sorry, but she just smiled towards him. This wasn't his fault. Not at all, and she didn't want him to believe that. She took his hand and he gave her a weak smile.

"Isn't this to sweet. The lover's final moment" Abjorn said and Cara turned around to face him. Loki didn't move, he didn't do anything.  
"What do you think Odin will do to you when he gets you back Loki?" Abjorn asked, and at those words Cara saw how Loki flinched.  
"He will not get him back" Cara answered and Abjorn looked at her and laughed.  
"I don't know what fantasy you are living in lady, but he will get him back" Abjorn said and stepped closer to her. "But you, I can keep for myself"  
"You aren't going to share her?" a man said and Cara gave him and Abjorn a look.  
"It's nice to have dreams" she said and Abjorn laughed again.  
"That it is" Abjorn said and walked closer to Loki, but Cara kicked him.  
"She really is wild" a man said and Abjorn looked at her.  
"The little lady wants to save the princess" he said and Cara just smiled.  
"He doesn't need to be saved" she said.  
"Doesn't look like it. Or do you think he is going to save you? Do you have any idea what you have gotten yourself into?" Abjorn asked and Cara stood up.  
"Oh I know. You aren't the first man I have met that are a covered, someone that thinks that they are something and can take what isn't theirs" she said with a cold smile.

Soon she felt the pain on her cheek and she looked at Abjorn's open hand, he had just smacked her. But she stood there with fire in her eyes as she spit him in the face.  
"Cara don't" Loki said and pulled her down to the floor, just as Abjorn was about to hit her again.  
"He really cares for you" Abjorn said and looked at Loki, who looked away. Cara just placed her hand on Loki's cheek and smiled towards him. She tried to tell him that she knew what she was doing, that he should trust her.  
"Do you want me to hurt you instead? Or are you too much of a covered, _prince_ Loki" Abjorn mocked him, but Loki didn't answer him.  
"You are a brave man Abjorn. Breaking someone, before you mocked them. Were you to scared to fight for Loki, to try to win him over. So you waited until someone handed him over, handed him over, so you could take him by force" Cara said and Abjorn looked at her.  
"Win him over? What do you think this is? A fairy tale. I just wanted someone to fuck, someone to torture" Abjorn said and Cara gave him a cold gaze, as she stood up again.  
"Is that because you are too ugly to get someone else?" she asked.  
"Cara stop" Loki begged and Abjorn looked at them both before he laughed.  
"This is really going to be fun. To break you too" Abjorn said and walked closer towards Cara, but she didn't move. She knew that if she showed fear it would all be over. She knew that if she backed down, they would go to Loki, they would touch him, and she didn't want that to happen. This was better, better her, then him.  
"Hold him, I want him to watch" Abjorn said and a man walked out, pulled Loki up on his knees and forced him to look at them. "And if you try to do anything Loki, I will kill her!"

Abjorn walked over to Cara with a smile that sent shiver down her spine. But she was prepared for it, or at least as prepared she could be. She had been through this many times before, and she could almost tell what he was going to do before he would do it. And even if she did this on her own free will, she still had to fight her instincts to fight and run away. She told herself that she was doing this for Loki, that he shouldn't need to be through this again. She could take it. She was strong enough.  
"Maybe this will remove that smile from your face" Abjorn said as he grabbed her by her wrists and pushed her up against the wall. And Cara smiled towards him.  
"You aren't the first man to say that" Cara mocked him, knowing that he would get angry, keeping his focus on her. She gave him what he wanted.  
"But I will be the man that make it true" Abjorn said before he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers. Cara felt his beard against her skin. She felt his dry lips against hers, and soon she felt how he forced his tongue in her mouth. She felt like he wanted to suffocate her. When he parted from her she still smiled towards him.  
"This is the slowest anyone has done it, I think" Cara said with a mocking voice. "Maybe I should show you how you undress someone"  
Abjorn gave her a cold look and was about to say something when Loki interrupted him.

"Cara don't" Loki begged of her again, but she didn't look at Loki. She wanted to. She wanted to tell him that it was going to be alright. That she knew what she was doing, but she knew that if she let Abjorn know that Loki's word affected her, he would take advantage of it. He would go after Loki and she couldn't take it.  
"Oh I am tempted to take this really slow, to torture Loki with it. But taking it to slow, is just boring. Don't you agree, _Cara_ " Abjorn said and used a mocking voice when he said her name.  
"Slow, fast, a new way, an old way. Do it however you want. You are still going to bore me" Cara just said and Abjorn laughed.  
"This is going to be far from boring" Abjorn said and pulled on her belt, and it soon dropped to the floor. He looked at the dress and smiled. "You made it easy for me"  
Cara just raised an eyebrow, but she didn't answer. She knew that people liked to taunt her for what she was wearing, like it was her fault. But after so many times, she didn't listen to that anymore. It wouldn't have matter what she wore, they would remove it anyway.

Abjorn started to slowly undress her, watching her face, as he did. The smile never left her lips, something that seemed to irritate him for a second before he smiled again.  
"I am starting to understand why Loki keeps you around" Abjorn said when he made the dress fall to the floor.  
"Wow" the man holding Loki said, but Cara didn't look in his direction. She only looked at Abjorn.  
"I am going to enjoy this!" He said and walked behind her. "And I am sure the both of you will!"  
"You are sure of a lot of things" Cara said and Abjorn grabbed her hair and pulled her head back, forcing her to face him.  
"I am. And when I am done, you will too!" he said and forced their lips together once more, as he opened her bra and threw it over to the man holding Loki, who laughed.  
"I am going to keep this" he said.

Abjorn parted with her and looked at Loki. Cara saw how sad he was. How much this hurt him, but she knew that this was better, she just hoped that she could explain it to him.  
"Look here princess, as I take your woman. What I do to her, what you only can dream off!" Abjorn said, and Cara felt how his hands pulled down her trousers. It took all of her willpower not to flinch. She knew that this moment was coming, but she also knew the pain that would follow, and the horror.  
"I think I want to take you like the bitch you are" Abjorn said and forced her down on all four, before he kneeled behind her. It didn't take long until she felt how he forced himself into her. She had to bit her lip not to scream.  
"I think she likes it" the man holding Loki said.  
"Yeah I think she does" Abjorn said as he almost pulled out completely, before he pushed in hard. Cara had to brace herself, not to fall.  
"I think Loki is jealous, you having a go with her" the man said, and Cara looked at Loki, seeing him cry. She wanted to kick Abjorn, grab Loki and run. But she couldn't. Abjorn had made sure of that. He had put a collar on her, the type that made it imposable for her to use magic, the same type Loki had when they found him.

Cara looked Loki in the eyes, wanting to only see him, not caring about the other. She wanted to tell him to be strong, to tell him that she could take it. That he shouldn't do anything stupid, she knew how easy it was to do when someone you cared about was in danger. But she wanted him to know that she had it under control.

"Hoping he will save you?" Abjorn whispered from behind her, as his hand grabbed her right breast.  
"You really don't know me" Cara answered.  
"I will get to know you" Abjorn said as he squished her breast, obviously wanting to get a reaction from her, but she didn't give him one. "You truly are an interesting woman"  
Abjorn increased the pace, and Cara felt the pain inside, but instead she focused on bracing herself, so she wouldn't fall. She focused on that pain instead, her hands scrape against the cold, uneven floor. Trying to forget about the man behind her, wanting to inflict pain up on her. How he was sweating behind her, how he was panting behind her now, how he was enjoying this.  
"You are too good for me" Abjorn said as he got his ejaculation and pulled out. Cara could feel the sperm on her legs, slowly dropping as Abjorn pushed her down on the floor, before he stood up.  
"And Loki, such a good dog, sitting there and waiting." Abjorn said and laughed, before he got dressed, nodded to his man and they both left the room and locked the door.

* * *

Cara lied on the floor as she let the pain wash over her, taking deep breaths to control it. She had done this before. She knew how to do it.  
"Cara?" she heard Loki whisper and she lifted her head to meet his gaze.  
"Yeah" she answered and at once Loki crawled over to her, removing his cape and covering her, and Cara couldn't do anything else then smile. Slowly she sat up, wrapped in the mantle, mostly because she had a feeling Loki didn't want to see her like this. She herself was used not to have anything to wear after something like this.  
"You…You…You" Loki started, and Cara saw his tears streaming down his face and she knew how hard this was for him. She hated being in his position, not be able to do anything. But she also knew that if they took their turn with him, he would break, so it was better this way.

Cara positioned herself in front of Loki and placed her hands on his cheeks and started to wipe away the tears, letting him know that she was there.  
"I am so sorry" he whispered and Cara smiled. She let her forehead rest on his.  
"This isn't your fault" she started, wanting him to know. "I made them go after me. I wanted to keep them away from you"  
"That makes it even worse" Loki said and Cara shook her head.  
"No it isn't. I am doing this without any doubt. Better me, then you!" she told him. "Loki I have been through this before, so many times. I can take it. I know how to handle it. I am not proud to say this, but this is a game I am good at. I have learned over the years, and I know what to do"  
"I am sorry" Loki said once more and Cara kissed his forehead before she smiled at him.  
"Thank you, but don't be. As long as I keep them away from you, I will do whatever I can. And right now Abjorn will try to break me. And I intend to keep it like that. But I need you to stay strong. I know that it's hard. I know that it pains you to see me like this. But remember that I know what I am doing, it's just a game. Try to think of something else"  
"I can't" Loki whispered.  
"You must. I can't do this if I know that there is a risk of you getting hurt or dying. I can only do this if I know that you are there with me, playing my game." Cara told him honestly. Because it was the truth.  
"I don't know if I can. Seeing you like that, treated like an animal, I don't know if I can see that ever again. Not being able to help you. I am powerless. It's my fault that you are here." Loki told her. And Cara heard how emotional he was, and she understood him, she really did. But right now she wanted him to understand her.  
"Oh sweet Loki, my sweet Loki, you have too" Cara said. "I know that it's hard. But you can't let them get to you. Think of anything else. Try to think of a way to get out, and what we will do when we get out of here"  
"Marrying you, as long as you still want me." Loki said and Cara smiled, happy that he still wanted her.  
"I will marry you, I am very much looking forward to that." Cara said, and this time Loki leaned forward, wanting to kiss her forehead but stopped before he did, and Cara smiled. Loki always thought of her before he did something.  
"It's okay"  
Loki nodded and kissed her forehead and she smiled. She was glad that this wasn't her first time. If it had been, she hadn't been able to have Loki this close. But she had gotten used to it, and she did this for him, which made it easier to let him touch her.

"Loki?" Cara almost whispered.  
"Yes?" he asked and she looked at him.  
"Can you hold me?" she asked and Loki gave her a wondering look. "I am tired and I need to sleep before they get back. But I don't want to feel alone"  
Loki didn't even hesitated before he took her into his arms. Cara leaned against his chest and smiled.  
"Thank you. Please wake me up if you hear them coming" she said and Loki nodded, and she closed her eyes, as she heard how Loki started singing.  
" _Little girl, little girl, don't lie to me…_ "

* * *

Cara had lost track of the days, time, and who took her, how many times and what they did. This wasn't anything unusual, it always happened. In the beginning she always tried to remember their name and faces, knowing how to play them, that was the most important part. But their faces and names always disappeared. She lost count of how many times they raped her. Not that it was important, not at all. But for some reason she always tried to remember. That more than the days. But what she remembered was the pain. And with the collar on her, she didn't heal like she normally did. So the pain didn't disappear. But she hid it well, not wanting to make Loki feel any worse.

Cara saw how much it hurt him, and how much it haunted him. Seeing her like that. Hearing her scream, because after cuts, burn marks and every blow, she couldn't stop the screaming. It had taken Abjorn days to make her scream, but when he did, he was very proud. Loki had tried to fight them when she screamed. But he had stopped when he saw her pleading look. Cara knew how much effort it took for him to do that, but she was happy that he did. She could take anything for his sake. Afterwards he had tried to stop her bleeding, and he did as well as he could, and she had thanked him. That was all they could do. She took the blows, rapes and everything else for him, and he tried to take care of her afterwards. She reminded him of that it was okay, and that it would be fine somehow. She tried to keep up the hope, mostly for Loki's sake. Seeing how he slowly was losing it, how everything affected him. She just hoped that they would get out of here, before he they broke him. She didn't know how they would get out of here, so at this moment her only hope was the avengers.

* * *

"It has been a month!" Tony said, frustrated as he slammed his fist in the table, actually making the others jump in surprise. "Can you imagine what that scum Abjorn are doing to them? If they even are alive"  
"I prefer not to think about it" Steve said, more than capable to think off what Abjorn was doing.  
"How can we not find them?" Thor asked, and they all looked over to the tired God. He was tired from worrying about his brother and Cara. And from taking care of the twins. The twins didn't handle the situation all too well. They thought that their parents had left them, that they didn't want them anymore. And none of the others knew how to explain anything. Not wanting to tell them what happened to Loki before, and most likely happened now. So Thor and Jane did their best to take care of the twins, hoping that Loki and Cara would return soon and that they were alive.

"They are well hidden, that's my guess. And they haven't used any magic" Tony answered. They had tried to find them; they had searched in any way they could think off. They had tried all of Tony's devices. They had used Wanda's and Strange's magic, they had walked around the town, just hoping to stumble up on them. They even used S.H.I.L.E.D's network, but they had found nothing.

"Do you know that it's Cara's birthday today?" Thor asked as he closed his eyes, and drank from his glass.  
"We didn't know that" Natasha said.  
"Not a surprise, she wasn't to open about it. I just remember since Loki went on a reckless mission to get a perfect present for her. A lot or roses and a fallen star" Thor told them and the others smiled. They wasn't surprised that Loki would do something like that for Cara.  
"I can't stand the thought of her spending her birthday like this" Thor said and the others nodded.  
"What are we going to do then?" Bruce asked, and no one had an answer.  
"Let's start over, we can try to search for them again with the network and devices we have. It's all that we can do" Tony said, very frustrated. He hated that they couldn't do anything. This wasn't fair. He would end Abjorn for going after his friends, he would end him, then ask Hel to bring him back, so he could end him once more. And he was sure that when he was done, the others would like to have a go too.

* * *

"Happy Birthday" Loki whispered in her ear, and Cara looked up at him. She was in his arms, leaning against him.  
"It is?" she asked surprised. She didn't know what day it was, but apparently Loki had counted them. "It is already November"  
Cara couldn't believe that they had been here almost a month, but she wasn't surprised by it.  
"It is. And I am sorry that I can't give you something" he told her, but Cara just smiled towards him, and kissed him on the cheek.  
"Seeing you safe and unharmed is enough" she answered him.  
"It isn't. I wish you didn't have to celebrate your birthday here; I can't even give you your freedom." Loki said towards her, and she was about to answer when Abjorn walked up to them.  
"So it's the hounds birthday" he said and smiled. "Then I will give you some extra attention"  
"And my guess is that you have an extra special present for me" she said and Abjorn looked a bit surprised at her. "You aren't the first man to celebrate my birthday this way"  
"Well then the surprise is ruin" Abjorn said and pulled her away from Loki's arm. Loki tried to keep her in his arms, but Cara saw how one of the men, Mark, she thought, pulled Loki up on his knees, holding him still.

"So what will we do today?" Abjorn said as he smiled towards her. He walked around her, like a lion walks around a prey. Until he stopped behind her. "Maybe I shall let my men have a go with you first, let them fuck you until you can't stand, and then I will have a go. Or maybe I shall cut you first. I do love having your blood over me. Or why not force you to so suck my dick"  
Abjorn smiled at every word he said, looking at Loki, who didn't want any of those things happening to her.  
"Maybe I shall take you from behind, I know how much you like that" Abjorn said. And Cara didn't answer him. She had learned that taking her from behind was what Abjorn preferred, especially if she was down on all four.

Abjorn let his hand ran down her back, down to her ass.  
"This is something we haven't tried yet" Abjorn said and Cara saw the horror in Loki's eyes, and her guess was that it reminded him of what was done to him.  
"I would say that it's messy and so boring. But you are a boring man Abjorn" Cara answered.  
"You know what? I am going to miss this talks" He said as his hand wondered around her waist.  
"What are you going to do? Force me not to talk?" Cara asked.  
"That would actually spoil the fun. You talking back to me, makes it more enjoyable"  
"I can feel that" Cara said as he felt his cock at her back.  
"You know what, I think I prefer to end this as we started it. Down on all four" Abjorn said and Cara was about to say, here we go again, but stopped. It was something about Abjorn's words that made her worried. He hadn't talked like that before, and it could be a new tactic, but he didn't feel like that kind of man. No she feared that he would do something that really hurt her.  
"You belong down here" Abjorn said as he forced himself on her, and soon find the rhythm he preferred, not caring that he hurt her.  
"I can see why you think so" Cara answered, but she screamed when Abjorn dragged his fingers in one of her open wounds on her back.

Soon she felt the blood start flowing, and she concentrated on that. Seeing the blood on the floor, she couldn't stop herself from thinking of Jizabel, how often he was in this situation with Cassandra. He had told her, that he always concentrated on the blood, rather than the man behind him. He had thought her that. He had thought her a lot on how to handle this situation, and she was grateful towards him. She just wished that she could have saved him in the end, not being forced to see him die in Cassians arms, before she saw the other man die too. She missed her friends, she really did, and both of them deserved to be alive.

"You see" Abjorn started between his panting. "Odin has gotten bored"  
As soon as he mentioned Odin's name, Cara got cold. She looked over towards Loki, who seemed empty instead.  
"He thought it was funny when I said that I had got a hold of you. Surprised to hear that you were here. But he said I could have my fun for a while, and I have. But not Odin is bored. So he wants Loki back" Abjorn said and leaned forward, and whispered in his ears. "But you see, he wants you dead. He wants to break Loki again. And killing you would be perfect. It's a shame that I can't keep you, but order is order"  
Cara felt how saying this words made Abjorn more excited and he increased the pace.  
"You have…been…so good…to me. And this…have been really fun" Abjorn said before he finished and laughed.  
"But everything good comes to an end" he said and turned her over. Cara felt the pain on her back, and if she hadn't met the gold crazy eyes that wanted to kill her, she had been thinking of it more.

"You can tell Odin, that he will never have Loki!" Cara said and tried to break free. But she knew that her body was weaker then normally, and she was in pain. But she wouldn't give up without a fight. And she didn't want Odin to have Loki again.  
"You are too sweet girl" Abjorn said and pulled a knife. "But I am not a big fan of dragging this part out"  
Cara saw the knife getting closer to her, when she managed to kick Abjorn in the side, hoping to break free, to get away from him. And then? She didn't know. All she knew was that she needed to break free, not to die. Everything else would be a problem later.  
"Whore" Abjorn screamed at her in pain. He grabbed her arm, and Cara felt the pain as he broke it. "You are going to pay for that. I was going to go easy on you. But not anymore"  
Cara felt the pain in the arm, and soon she felt more pain as he stabbed her in the leg. She couldn't stop herself from screaming. He pulled her closer to her and looked at the knife.  
"You know what? Just because it's you, and you hurt me, I am going to do this with my hands" Abjorn whispered as he climbed on top of her, holding her down. And soon she felt his hands around her throat.

Cara straggled to get air, to fight him off. She scratched him with her nails, on his hands and arms. She tried to reach his face, but couldn't. She tried to hit him, kick him, anything, but he didn't move. She felt how she become light headed. How her vision become blurry, and how her heart raised, trying to make the body work. Cara knew that it wasn't as easy as you may think to strangle someone with your hands. But that wasn't something that would help her. It only told her that it would take time for her to die. And she didn't want to die, she couldn't die. She couldn't leave everyone that she loved alone. She looked around to find Loki, wanting to at least see him, not sure why she wanted to see him. Maybe to tell him that it wasn't his fault.

She saw something lying on the floor, not moving and she wondered for a second if they had ended Loki too. Did they just told her that he would live? She saw something red, streaming towards her on the floor. Soon she felt the warm blood around her body. Was this how she would die? In Loki's blood? She felt like crying, but her body didn't focus on that, it focused on trying to survive.

Suddenly the hands disappeared from her throat, and for a second she thought that she had died, she didn't felt anything more. But then she felt how her body acted on its own and took a deep breath. She felt the air fill her lungs once more, and she opened her eyes. She didn't know that she had closed them. Tears was streaming down her cheeks and Cara tried to understand what happened. She was in pain, she was scared and she was confused.

When she heard a sound, to her left side she turned. She saw Abjorn lying there, bloody, slit throat. She didn't understand how? Cara looked at the other man and she smiled. He was dead. She didn't know how yet, but he was dead, and soon the smiled turned into a laugh. He couldn't touch her anymore. She was free from him. She wouldn't need to worry that he was coming after her.

She stopped laughing when the pain become too strong. Her throat still hurt and she needed to rest. But she also knew that she couldn't rest here, but she was too tired to move. So maybe she should rest only for a second, before she thought of something to do.

Her eyes closed and she was almost falling asleep when she heard the door open. Her brain told her to move, that it wasn't good. They would try to kill her again, she knew that. But she couldn't get her body to move. And she almost cursed herself for not moving. She didn't survive Abjorn to die.  
"Get them!" a voice said, and Cara was puzzled. Them? Who was them? She understood her, but was there someone else alive in the room? Was it Mark? But that felt unrealistic, why would Mark kill Loki, and then save her? Did he want her?

Cara looked towards Loki's body, and when her view got better she saw that it was Mark, who laid there, dead. Then it meant that it was Loki who was fighting. She could almost laugh, for not getting that faster. She tried to move again, to help Loki, but her body didn't listen. She wanted to kick herself, why wouldn't her body listen? Why did it fail her now? It was an obvious answer, but she still hated it, she was to weak.

She almost jumped when she heard screams and how people hit the floor. From where she was laid, she couldn't see what was happening. She wanted to know, she needed to know. Was Loki alright? And suddenly everything become quiet, and she didn't know if it was good or not. Then she heard steps walking towards her and she tried to see who it was. What was going to happen to her?

"Cara?" Loki asked and she relaxed, Loki was alive, that was the important part. When he knelled beside her, she saw how bloody he was. His face, hands and clothes was covered in blood.  
"Loki" she cried of joy and managed to raise a hand to touch his cheek.  
"Careful, you will get bloody, and you are still weak" he said and Cara smiled towards him.  
"I don't care if you are bloody. I am just glad to see you, alive." She said and was about to drop her hand when Loki grabbed it. They looked at each other, and they didn't need to say anything. Both of them knew that they was alive only because of luck.  
"Are they all dead?" she whispered and Loki nodded.  
"They are all dead" he answered her and she sighed in relief.  
"Thank you" Cara whispered and Loki kissed her hand, thanking her for everything. Loki reached over and grabbed his cape and helped her cover herself. He helped her sit and Cara looked around the bloody room. The walls, floor and ceiling was covered in blood. The dead bodies of the men using her, was all over the floor, dead, just like Loki had said.  
"Don't look" Loki said and Cara laughed.  
"I have seen worse." She said in a tired voice and Loki just kissed her forehead.  
"Let me revile the collar" he said and Cara smiled.  
"Yes please" she wasn't whole without her magic, she missed the warm feeling in her heart, it was such a big part of her.  
"This will hurt" Loki said and she smiled again, she knew it would hurt, but it was worth it.

* * *

When Loki had gotten rid of the collar he had took her into his arms. She had leaned tired against him, just glad to be alive, feeling safe, and having Loki by her side. Seeing him safe and alive, made everything worth it. She didn't care what had happened to her, she just never wanted to let go of Loki, afraid of losing him again. And then forever. Cara closed her eyes, exhausted, as she felt the familiar feeling of teleportation.

"THOR!" Tony screamed and Thor got running towards the other man's voice. Thor didn't know what the other man wanted but he didn't call on him like that. So it had to be something.

When Thor almost tripped as he entered the common room, he saw his brother standing there. Thor had almost thought that they would never get to see Loki, or Cara again. But as his brother stood there, bloody and with a hurt and weak Cara in his arms, all he could do was stare at him. Like the rest of the people in the room.

Natasha was the one that acted first.  
"Jarvis, keep the twins away. Make Jane keep them occupied" Natasha said and Thor almost thanked the woman for thinking about that. But he couldn't move or say something. He just stared, imagine all the horrors both of them had gone through.  
"As you wish miss Romanoff" Jarvis answered.

"Loki…what happened?" Clint finally asked, it was the question everyone thought, but didn't dare to ask.  
"I need to get her to bed" Loki only answered and took a step forward, but no one moved.  
"Loki?" Tony asked, but only got a cold look from the God.  
"Let me take Cara to bed and I will tell you" his voice was cold, but they did hear the concern for Cara. Thor looked at the blond woman, she almost looked as bad as Loki had when they found him. And Thor knew that this wouldn't be a story he wanted to hear. But all of them moved and Loki walked past them.

* * *

"I will kill him" Loki said as he returned. The others had placed some food on the table if Loki wanted something to eat.  
"Who? Abjorn?" Tony asked. They all felt the anger and hate coming from Loki, not something that surprised them. But they were a bit careful, not sure what would make it worse. None of them wanted to fight Loki like this.  
"He is already dead, believe me" Loki launched out at Tony, walking over to the bar. No one tried to stop him as he took a bottle and poured it into a glass.  
"Well I do believe you" Clint said with a light tone, as he looked at Loki's close. But the god didn't seem amused.  
"Then who brother?" Thor asked before Clint got into trouble.  
"Odin!" Loki said and all of them looked at each other. Before Loki hadn't wanted to take part in throwing down Odin.  
"What happened?" Steve asked and Loki took drank from the glass and didn't answer at first, and they were unsure if he would.  
"It's my fault" Loki said and they all felt the guilt.  
"I am sure Cara doesn't sees it like that" Bruce said.  
"Of course she doesn't." Loki said and took another sip from the drink.  
"Then what's the problem?" Tony asked and Loki just glared at him. "She isn't mad at you. So stop blaming yourself, she would tell you that, and you know that!"  
"That she would, and it's because she is too good for me" Loki only said. Thor looked at his brother, and he understood what his feelings was coming from. Even if he did something to endanger Jane, and she did tell him it wasn't his fault, he would still feel guilty. They all looked at each other, but they didn't say anything.

"Feel like telling us what happened?" Tony asked after an uncomfortable silence. Loki didn't look at them, all he did was to empty his glass, before he took another one.  
"What do you think happened?" Loki asked in an angry voice, no one answered him. They didn't want to tell Loki what they thought happened. They just tried to be there for their friend, but they didn't know how. "Abjorn fucking found us"  
Loki threw the bottle across the room, and hit shattered as it hit the wall. They looked at the god. They had seen him afraid, broken, mocking them, calm, lovely and happy. But they had never seen him this angry, never, or this destroyed either.  
"He…he touched you?" Steve asked, very carefully, not wanting to make Loki angrier. But instead of angry, Loki laughed a cold laugh.  
"I actually wish. If he did I would be… I don't know what I would be, but less upset" Loki said and the others looked over towards Cara's room. They had thought that she had saved Loki and therefore getting hurt. None of them had thought that Abjorn had touched her.  
"So he touched Cara…" Bruce said in a sad voice and Loki just nodded.  
"I thought it was you he was interested in?" Tony said, very carefully.  
"She made him go after her instead. She played a game, she took it all, and I just let her do it…" Loki almost whispered the words. "Some fucking guy I am"

They all stared at him, they didn't know what to say. They were surprised to hear that Cara sacrificed herself, and they understood that she really would do anything for Loki. Anything!  
"She did it because she loves your brother" Thor tried and Loki gave him an cold look.  
"I know why she did it! I am not stupid. But I should have stopped her! Who let someone that you love, go through something like that!" Loki shouted at Thor, who was about to say that Cara most likely thought the same, but he didn't. "He almost killed her"  
"Abjorn?" Natasha asked and Loki nodded. "So you killed him?"  
"I did. Him and the rest" Loki just said and the others looked at him. None of them supported killing, but they understood why Loki did it. And to be honest they weren't sure if they wouldn't have done the same.

"And Odin?" Steve asked.  
"He was behind it, like he always is! He said Abjorn could have his fun with her, something Abjorn did…" Loki stopped there, and the others could imagine what fun Abjorn had been doing with Cara, more than well. "But then Odin got bored, as Abjorn putted it. Wanted me back and Cara dead. He almost managed"  
Thor looked at his brother when he looked down his glass, and Thor understood that he was about to relive the moment.  
"But he didn't. You stopped him. And that's the important part. You saved her Loki!" Thor said and Loki laughed, a cold laugh.  
"Saved her? Thor if it wasn't for me, it would never have happened. I saved her from dying, but I couldn't save her from anything else." Loki told them.  
"I remember her saying that her life is one of the things she value the most, because it's the only thing she can't do twice" Thor said and Loki looked at him.  
"Even if she is alive, how can I even touch her after this? How can I be near her? I have no right to do that!" Loki said and the others was about to answer, but Loki continued talking. "But I will kill Odin! Stop him from ever get near her again! Stop him from plotting to kill her ever again! I will end him forever, no matter what it cost. I will give her that!"

"No matter what it cost?" Cara said from behind them. None of them had heard her entering. "I do not like the sound of that!"  
"Cara we thought you was asleep" Tony said.  
"You should be asleep, resting!" Bruce said, and Cara smiled towards him, he was using his doctor voice.  
"I was asleep, but the yelling woke me up, and I will rest soon" she said and walked towards Loki, who didn't look at her.  
"Loki?" She asked but he didn't meet her eyes and she sighed. "I know how you feel…"  
"You…" Loki started and actually looked at her, and she smiled before she stopped him from talking.  
"I do know how you feel. I have been where you have been. People have done what I did to you, to me too. And I wanted to end the person behind it all, trust me! I wanted to end them bad. I wanted to make them suffer as much as the person I cared about did. But! But I didn't! Because the person who saved me asked me not to" She started "I can't forbid you from doing anything. If you want to run off and kill Odin, risking your own life, I can't stop you, but I would not support you. I didn't do what I did to see you die. I didn't do it to be left alone here, and forced to burry you. I did it because I wanted to save you. I wanted to see you alive, and I wanted to have a chance of marrying you. If you do this, I am afraid that I won't get that chance"

"Marrying?" Clint said and Natasha hit him in the head, feeling that it wasn't the moment to ask.  
"I would do it for you!" Loki said and Cara smiled.  
"I don't want you to do it for me! If you want to do it for yourself, I can't stop you either, but don't do it for me! I want you to stay here for me! I want you to make me feel safe and hold me when I get scared, because I will be. I want you close. That is what I want!" Cara said and Loki looked at her, not sure what to answer.  
"I…" Loki started and Cara took his hands and smiled. "Why do you want me there? This is my fault"  
Loki looked at her and her wounds.  
"Don't blame yourself for this. You weren't the one doing this to me. Instead you killed the men doing it, you saved me" Cara told him.  
"Men?" Steve asked and Cara looked at him and nodded.  
"They took turns, like they often do" she only said and then turned towards Loki again.  
"Do you really want me next to you?" he asked and Cara nodded.  
"You and no one else" Cara said and Loki looked at her, and she felt how he tried to see if she was lying, but after a short moment he slowly nodded.  
"Then I will be there for you" he answered and kissed her forehead.  
"Good, then I can go to bed, feeling safe that you will not be dead when I wake up"  
Cara looked at the others and gave them a weak smile before she left the room.

* * *

"You are still going after him, aren't you?" Thor asked.  
"I am" Loki only answered, and they all saw the cold in his eyes.  
"You lied to her?" Steve asked in surprise, thinking that Cara was the only person Loki was honest towards.  
"I did" Loki said.  
"She is right you know. He may kill you brother" Thor said and Loki looked at his brother.  
"As much as he may kill anyone of you. I will not let him touch my family again!"  
The others didn't say anything. They understood how Loki felt, because they didn't want Odin to touch Loki ever again.  
"Well we will not stop you. But please think this over, when you are less angry, so you won't do anything rash. We don't know what we would tell Cara if you died" Tony said.  
"Yes please, don't let me deal with that again. Last time she thought you died, it didn't end pretty" Thor said and Loki only nodded, but he didn't say anything.

Thor just hopped that Loki would think about it. He knew that Loki was angry, wanting revenge, and it was natural, but Loki didn't act like himself now. Loki was always calm and collective, planning every move, rushing into things, wasn't his style, and Thor feared it may go very wrong if he did. But Thor knew that if Loki would head into the battle, Thor would be by his side and help him anyway he could. He would be there for his brother this time. Like he knew all his friends would.

"So marriage?" Clint asked again, this time hoping to get an answer. The others had almost forgotten about that, so they now turned towards Loki. But Loki didn't look amused or like he wanted to share the information with them.  
"I don't want to talk about that now" Loki said, and Clint looked really disappointed.  
"But I wanted to know" he said and Natasha hit him in the head, again.  
"Maybe tomorrow" Loki only said as he putted down the glass. "Now I need to go to Cara."  
"Let us know if you need anything" Tony said and Loki nodded.  
"I will do. But right now I think she needs to sleep, and I need to be left alone" Loki said as he left the room.

* * *

"This will not go well" Natasha said and the other nodded.  
"Shall we tell her?" Bruce asked.  
"I think she knows, or she will know. I just hope she can stop him" Steve said, and looked at the others.  
"I am glad to see that Loki want's to fight Odin now. But not like this" Tony said.  
"I do not wish to see my brother die for this. But I will not stop him. I will protect him, in any way I can" Thor informed the others.  
"Always the good brother" Tony teased and Thor smiled.  
"I am trying at least" Thor said "But I need to tell mother that Loki has return"

They could all feel the sorrow Thor felt, needing to tell his mother once again what happened to Loki. They hoped that Frigga could take it, not wanting the queen become heartbroken once more.  
"Keep the twins away from Loki and Cara for now. I think they need it, and the twins shouldn't see Loki like this" Thor said and the other agreed, looking at the direction Loki and Cara had disappeared.  
"We should all get some rest now. We need to be prepared for what may happen tomorrow. And if Cara is weak, we may need to deal with Loki, because she need the rest!" Bruce said and the others agreed.  
"Let's do whatever we can, and be there for them" Steve said.  
"As long as I get to know more about this wedding!" Clint said, resulting in the others hitting him.


	30. Christmas and New Years Eve

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the new chapter. And well I am kind of sorry. It's a lame chapter, with a few nice parts (that's at least how it felt when I wrote it). I tried to make things move along, and get everything started, but I didn't want to jump there, right away. So that's why you have to go through the parts with Christmas and New Year's eve. But hopefully you will survive those parts. I had some part's I like. Like the gifts they give each other, and Tony and Loki's talk. Besides that, it isn't as good.
> 
> I am also sorry that I don't describe Cara's and Loki's feelings after everything that much. I was about to do, but I felt like it wasn't to relevant for this chapter. I mean Loki is angry at Odin, and has his mind set. Cara well she cops with everything. And she hides it behinds a door, trying not to make it affect her. And she manages pretty well. So it isn't to much about it.
> 
> I am also sorry if Cara and Loki act's so lame. Try to make them a cute couple, not sure if I manages. I try to not make everything horrible, and I am sorry if Loki feels lame. I try to show his cute side, a side he has towards Cara. So hope you survives.
> 
> And well things are finally starting to happen. We are heading towards the end. Not sure how many more chapters we have, but I will warn you more when we only have like 2 left or so. But I am thinking of writing a sequel, I need to think about it.
> 
> And also as always, thank you for reading and reviewing, love you :)
> 
> Enjoy the chapter, or at least try :)

When Cara opened her eyes, she saw the snow that was falling down outside. She smiled, she had always preferred the cold, over the heat, and every time it was snowing she become like a kid. She felt like play in the snow, like she had done with Severus as a kid. But not at just that moment. Right now she preferred to stay in bed, next to Loki, in his safe arms.

It had almost been a month since they become free, and the others thought it barely, if even, affected her, but she knew better. She hid it behind a wall, pretended like it hadn't matter. It was true that she wasn't as affected as someone may think, but it wasn't her first time. And even if it was sad to admit, she had been better on handling it. And it was different this time. She had known what she was getting herself into. And it wasn't someone that she had trusted. That helped her hiding her feelings. But saying that she wasn't affected, that was to lie, she was. She had nightmares, and when she woke up she was scared. And she had moments it affected her, something that reminded her of it. But if Cara was honest with herself, she was more scared that Loki was gone, then being back there. But when she woke up, Loki had been sleeping next to her, and she had been able to go back to sleep. But the others didn't see that. Instead they had been very careful around her, looking after her all the time. It even went to the length that Loki told them to stop.

* * *

 

" _Are you sure that you are alright?" Steve asked, looking at Cara when she placed the food on the table. It had only been a few days, but she acted like herself, like nothing had happened. That worried him, and not just him. The others were worried too. They didn't want Cara to push herself. They wanted her to take care of herself. They all remembered how Loki had been when he got there. So scared and so hurt. But with Cara it was like nothing had happened._  
_"I am sure Steve. Thank you for asking, but don't worry" she answered as she returned to the kitchen to get the last of the food._  
 _"Are you really sure? You don't have to pretend to be strong in front of us" Tony said, actually worrying too._  
 _"I am not." Cara answered as she sat down. "I know that you are all worried. But I have been through this before, and I know how to deal with it"_

 _The others didn't say anything they just watched her, waiting for her to break down. Steve could tell that Cara got irritated with them, all of them could. But they didn't stop, because they were worried about her. Tony almost got irritated with her, for not letting them care about her._  
_"Can we do anything for you Cara?" Tony asked as she started to clean the table and Cara sighed._  
 _"You can stop treating me like a doll. I will not break; I am perfectly fine. I am not in pain anymore. The men that did this is dead, so I don't need to worry about them. And I don't wish to talk about it" she said as she left the room._  
 _"Is she alright father?" Váli asked and Loki smiled towards him._  
 _"She is just a bit irritated with the others. But she is fine" Loki said and the twins smiled before they started helping Cara clean the table._

_Steve watched the twins as the was running between the dining room and the kitchen, smiling and laughing. They had soon returned to their happy smiling kids they used to be. They didn't know what had happened to their parents, but they were just happy that Loki and Cara was back. And Steve was happy for their sake, knowing how worried the kids had been. But he still wasn't sure that Cara and Loki was alright. Loki seemed to be doing better than he had when they got back, less angry, but still wanting revenge. And he was always watching Cara, Steve saw that Loki was worried too, but he didn't say anything. Steve didn't know why, if he was worried he should tell her. But instead Loki just smiled towards her and almost acted like nothing happened._

" _She isn't fine! You aren't fine after something like that" Clint said and Steve looked over to the man._  
_"I am sure that she doesn't want to worry us" Thor said. "She is a brave woman, not wanting to cause her friends pain"_  
 _"She is stupid if she thinks that. She can talk to us!" Tony said and looked over to the kitchen, almost waiting for Cara to get back and talk to them._  
 _"Maybe she doesn't want to talk to you all" Pepper said and they looked at her. "You are all men, you know that, don't you?"_

_None of the males had thought of that. Maybe that's why she didn't talked to them._   
_"Then you talk to her!" Tony said to Pepper and Natasha._   
_"If she want to talk to me, she knows where to find me" Natasha answered, but Tony shook his head._   
_"No, you talk to her!" Tony said, almost commanding her, which made Natasha give him a cold look._   
_"You have to respect that she doesn't want to talk to you about this" Loki said and they all looked at him._   
_"Why? You are worried too!" Clint told him, which resulted in, a cold look from Loki._

" _I am worried too. But you can't force her to talk. If she doesn't wish to talk to you, you can't do anything about it" Loki said and stood up._  
_"Yes we can!" Tony said and Loki looked at him._  
 _"Try to force her, and I will end you Anthony!" Loki said in a very cold voice, a voice that actually made Tony swallow nervously. "So all of you just stop. It's all up to her!"_

 _"Thank you Loki" Cara said as she walked out from the kitchen and up to him. She gave him a kiss on the cheek and then smiled. "But please don't kill Tony, he is just acting like himself, how stupid it may be"_  
_"Hey!" Tony said and Cara just raised an eyebrow, not answering him._  
_"As you wish" Loki answered, but Steve could tell that he would break that promise if someone did something to Cara._  
_"Thank you" Cara answered before she smiled towards the others, and then walked away with Loki and the twins._

* * *

 

_As the days went on, they still didn't know how to handle Cara. Handling an angry Loki that wanted revenge was actually easier. Because when he acted like that, he was closer to the Loki they met the first time, just angrier. They tried to figure out a plan where they could bring down Odin, giving Loki revenge, and not getting him killed. And even if they ran into some smaller problems, they managed to get around them._

_But with Cara they got nowhere. Tony just got angrier at it, him and Clint. Not thinking it's healthy to pretend that nothing happened. Trying to get her talk whenever they could. And Steve could tell that she tried to be patient, but she struggled, so he noticed that she tried to avoid them, which made them even more angry. Natasha, Pepper and Bruce had started to act like normal around her. Understanding that was what she wanted. Thor was just grateful all the time. Always smiling and thanking her, which Cara mostly laughed about, but told him that it was nothing. Himself, well Steve wasn't sure. He kept an eye on her, asking Loki how she was doing, but he had taken a step back, doing rather nothing. So when he saw her in the kitchen he wasn't sure how to act._

* * *

 

 _Steve walked into the kitchen, fetching a glass, when almost ran into Cara. She was standing, staring at something he couldn't see. But he understood that she hadn't heard him, something he found strange._  
_"Cara?" Steve asked, wondering if she was doing some kind of magic. But she still didn't answer him. Steve took a step closer, seeing if he got a reaction, but he got nothing._  
 _"Cara?" he asked again, actually getting a bit worried, which was silly, he knew. There was no reason to get worried just because she didn't answer. But as he got closer he placed a hand on her shoulder._

_Barely a second after Steve felt cold metal against his throat. As he looked down he saw the blade from a knife there, Cara looked at him with a deadly cold red eyes, not seeing him. Neither of them moved, Steve because he didn't know what to do, and Cara because she didn't see him. Steve felt really nervous, he had never seen her eyes like that, and not so cold. It was like she was someone else. Not even after the incident after the wedding had made her that cold. She had been scary then, but not like this. This time Steve actually felt like she could end him without thinking about it. But just as he thought that, her eyes become blue and warm again, and she seemed to see him._

_In that moment she realised what she was doing and she dropped the knife, and it landed on the floor._  
_"I am so sorry Steve" Cara said as she put her hands to her face, shocked over what she had done. Steve saw how she started to cry and he pulled her into his arms._  
_"It's alright" Steve said, trying not to sound to shaky._  
_"No it's not. You just scared me. I wasn't even aware of what I was doing" Cara whispered in a low voice. Steve didn't know what to answer, so he just hugged her as she cried. He wasn't sure why she acted like she did, but he guessed it had something to do whit what had happened. At that moment Loki walked into the kitchen, looking a bit surprised at them, and Steve was worried that Loki would get the wrong idea. He almost panicked, but Loki just smiled towards him and Steve signalled for Loki to come closer. Loki walked over without making a sound and when he got closer Steve slowly made Cara move over to Loki's embrace instead._  
_"Thank you Steve" Loki said to him and Steve nodded as he left the kitchen._

_At that moment Steve understood that Cara wasn't as unaffected as she pretended to be. But she didn't hide it for them, or for Loki, she hides it for herself. She didn't want to open that door, she wanted to pretend that nothing happened. Steve figured it out, since she was surprised by her own actions. And with that knowledge, Steve went to find the others, needing to explain this to the others._

* * *

 

After that they, things become better. She had avoided the others for a few days, feeling that she needed to rest. And she didn't want to accidently hurt any of the others. The Avengers had respected that, and she was glad. She spent as much time she could with Loki and sometimes the twins when they felt like it. Cara welcomed them every time, glad to see them again. Not wanting to leave them again. So when she started to leave her room again, the twins often dragged her around the tower wanting her to participate in stuff. And as Christmas got closer, they wanted her to teach them about Christmas on earth, how you celebrated and traditions. So Cara did, she thought them to make gingerbreads, Christmas puddings and saffron buns. She thought them how to make Christmas decorations, and how to decorate a Christmas tree.

* * *

 

As she laid in bed, looking at the snow, Fai jumped onto the bed, placing himself in her arms. Cara smiled towards the cat and buried her face in his fur, smiling. At this moment she felt safe, calm and happier in a long time. She felt how Loki moved behind her as he pulled her closer to him, before he scratched Fai behind the ear.  
"Morning" Loki whispered in her ear and she took his hand.  
"Merry Christmas" Cara answered and Loki nodded.  
"You people have strange traditions" Loki told her and at that she laughed.  
"We used to sacrifice animals to you and the other gods before, was that better?" she asked and Loki thought about it.  
"Well at least I was worshiped back then" he said with a laugh and Cara just rolled her eyes.  
"I think your ego would get too big if we did that now" Cara informed him.  
"Hey" Loki said, just like Tony normally do, something he had started doing sometimes, whiteout thinking about it.

"Merry Christmas!" The twins suddenly said as the rushed through the door, jumping into bed with them. Fai jumped out of the way before he placed himself on top of Loki's head, which made the twins laugh. Loki just pet the cat before he hugged the twins.  
"Merry Christmas to you too" Cara and Loki said and the twins smiled.  
"Is Santa going to get here soon?" the twins asked and Cara laughed.  
"No Santa doesn't come until the evening" she told them and the twins looked a bit disappointed. "But before that we will eat a lot of tasty food, and spend time with the others"  
"Okay, that sounds fun too" Váli said, trying to sound as excited he had done when they asked about Santa.  
"It is" Cara said and kissed their foreheads. "So let's get changed, and we can look to see if you got something in you stockings"  
"Yeah" the twins said and left the room.  
"Is this going to be like Halloween all over again?" Loki asked without thinking.  
"Sorry" he said when he saw how Cara reacted. "I just meant, with them running all over the place?"  
"Nothing to say sorry for" Cara said and kissed him, before she smiled. "Probably. Tony has hyped this as much as Halloween, if not even more"  
"I really need to talk to him about this" Loki said as both of them left to get ready.

* * *

 

As the day went on the kids got more excited. They had enjoyed the puzzles they had gotten in there stocking, but now they just wanted to meet Santa. Tony had thought it was because they wanted more gift, but Cara soon told him that they didn't care about the gifts, they just wanted to meet Santa. Tony had been a bit surprised at that, but he then was happy that he paid a stranger to play Santa, not ruin the illusion for the twins.

"Is Santa coming soon?" Narfi asked, for what felt like the 10th time, in just five minutes.  
"We don't know. Santa has a lot of other kids to visit first" Steve said.  
"Is he visiting the other kids from the circus?" Váli asked and Cara smiled towards them, sometimes still surprised over how caring the young one was.  
"That I am sure of" Cara said and the twins smiled, very happily.  
"Is there anymore candy?" Narfi asked and Tony nodded.  
"As much as you want!" he said and handed them the bowl.  
"You will be the one that get them to bed!" Loki told Tony who smiled.  
"No problem" Tony informed Loki, who gave Cara a look and both of them smiled, knowing how the twins was with a lot of energy.

Suddenly it was a knock on the balcony. The twins looked at the door and saw a man in red standing there.  
"SANTA!" they shouted and Steve opened the door, and let the man in. The twins looked fascinated at him, really hopeful. Cara looked at Loki who was smiling and she took his hand.  
"Happy?" she whispered and Loki looked at her, not aware that he was smiling.  
"Seeing them happy makes me happy. It's worth going through this day for their sake" Loki said and Cara nodded, before she pulled Loki closer to Santa and the others.

"Have you boys been nice this year?" Santa asked and the twins looked a bit unsure at the others.  
"They have been more then nice" Tony said and ruffled the twins hair.  
"That pleases me to hear" Santa said as he started to look in his bag. "Then I can give this to you"

Santa handled over gifts to the twins and the others. But the twins put their gifts aside and walked over to Santa.  
"Is it true that you live in the north pole?" Narfi asked.  
"Do you have reindeers?" Váli asked.  
"Do you live alone?"  
"How do know what all the kids want?"  
"What do you do the rest of the year?"  
"How can you fly all over the world in one night?"

The twins just asked question after question, and the man playing Santa looked at them and smiled, wanting to answer them, but not getting a chance.  
"Kids" Loki said and the twins looked at him.  
"Yes father?" Narfi asked.  
"If you want him to answer, maybe you should let him" Loki said with a very gentle voice and the twins blushed.  
"Sorry" they said and turned towards Santa again, who started answering their question. And Cara looked towards Tony and mimed.  
"Thank you" and Tony smiled in return. Cara was really happy that Tony had found someone that could play Santa really well, and make the twins believe in him.

* * *

 

As the kids talked to Santa, wanting to know everything the others started to open their gifts, whit different levels of excitement. Tony who had bought more gifts for then necessary was really excited, wanting them to open his gifts first. Almost jumping up and down like a kid. Clint and Natasha had gone for practical gifts; gifts they could use in the upcoming battle. Bruce went for traditional presents, like clothes, books, and other useful stuff. Steve went for cute presents, things that could make them smile in different ways, wanting to make his friends happy. And Thor went for traditional presents in Asgard, presents he needed to explain for most of them. Cara and Loki went for magical gifts, which made Tony call them show offs.  
"Says the man that bought everyone gifts for years to come!" Cara said and Tony was about to answer, but he then looked at the presents in the room.  
"Maybe I went a bit overboard" Tony admitted.  
"A bit?" Loki asked sarcastically.  
"You made him admit it! Cara promise that you never leave us! You make Tony admit stuff he normally never does!" Clint said in a very happy voice, which made Tony throw a pillow at Clint before he started chasing him, making everyone laugh.

"This is for you" Loki said when he turned away from the others. Cara looked at him, almost surprised.  
"Thank you" she said and looked at the green box. She placed it on the table and removed the ribbon as she opened it. Cara looked inside, before she stared at Loki.  
"You can try it" Loki said, but Cara couldn't move, and Loki laughed before he pulled out the light grey and winter dress.  
"Is it really for me?" Cara asked as Loki laughed again.  
"It is silly" he said and placed a kiss on her forehead. Cara nodded. She wasn't much for clothes, normally wearing what was practical. People often complimented her clothes, but she rarely cared about that, but even if she didn't care she could tell when something was beautiful, and this dress was.  
"I will soon be back" Cara said and took the dress with her.

"Loki you have great taste" Pepper said and Loki looked at her and smiled.  
"Well compared to someone else I know" Loki started and looked at Thor who just smiled. "I care about what I wear"  
"Do you care about what Cara wear too?" Peggy asked, almost sounding judicial.  
"Before you judge me Peggy" Loki said and gave her a schooling look, almost making Peggy look away. "I don't care about what Cara wear as long as she like it. But I wanted to give her something beautiful to wear. Something as beautiful as her"  
"Aww, that is so sweet" Jane said and she thought she saw Loki blush for a second, but as soon as she thought that it was gone.  
"Maybe you can teach the others about beautiful clothes" Pepper said.  
"Hey!" Tony told her and was about to say something when Cara walked back into the room.

"Wow" Clint said and Cara smiled as she walked over to Loki. Lifting the dress slightly, to not drag it on the floor. The long dress, in medieval style, had long arms with fur, just as the hood had. And across the arms and at the bottom in the front, it had runes in white.  
"You look just like the queen you are" Loki told her and Cara smiled as she took his hands.  
"Even if I am not a queen in this world, I thank you" Cara said and kissed him. "I really love it"  
"With or without a crown you are always a queen" Loki told her and Cara just rolled her eyes, even if she blushed.  
"How the hell do you say stuff like that, without making it cheesy?" Tony asked and Loki turned towards him.  
"I have tongue of silver. Something you clearly don't have!" Loki said and Pepper laughed.  
"You are never on my side" Tony told Pepper how just laughed more.

"This is for you" Cara said, ignoring the other two, as she handled over her gift to Loki, who took it.  
"Thank you, but you didn't have too" Loki said and Cara gave him a look.  
"Who are the silly one now?" she said and Loki nodded. Cara waited as he opened the ribbon and she smiled when he did.  
"It's beautiful" Loki said as he took the black folding blade, with a silver handle. The blade was decorated with runes.  
"I had some friends help me do it" Cara said as she walked closer. "The blade has a perfect balance, so you can use it for hours without getting tired. It's made by a really strong material, so you can use it for hours, without it taking much damage, compared to your opponent's weapon. You can fold it, making it easier to travel with, and you can also throw it, not that I recommend it, but it's possible"  
"You really thought of everything" Loki said and Cara laughed.  
"Well I have used a few swords during my days, and I know what I want from it. And I do know you, and I know what you want from a sword" she told him and Loki kissed her.  
"I promise to protect you with this" he said and Cara smiled.  
"As long as you don't stab me with it, I am happy" she said, and for a second her eyes flashed of sorrow, remember the ones that had back stabbed her. Loki folded the blade as he took her into his arms.  
"I promise" he said and kissed her forehead.

"I want a sword too" Tony said when he looked at Loki's.  
"You would stab yourself!" Cara answered.  
"Or someone of us. You aren't allowed to have a sword!" Pepper told Tony, who looked really disappointed.  
"If I want a sword, I will get a sword!" he said, just like a kid.  
"Then I will take it from you" Pepper said just as the kids ran over to them.  
"Wow, you look beautiful mother" Narfi said and Cara picked him up, just as Loki picked up Váli.  
"Thank you" Cara answered "You had fun with Santa?"  
"We did. He told us very nice stories, and answered all our questions." Váli said.  
"You thanked him?" Loki asked.  
"We did" Narfi told their father, just as Clint laughed and they looked at him.

"What?" Loki used to be a villain, and now he asks if his children said thank you to Santa." Clint said and Natasha hit him in the head.  
"Thank you Natasha" Loki said before he looked at Clint. "Just because I am not trying to take over the planet, doesn't mean I am not a villain. But even if I am a villain, doesn't mean my children has to be. And I prefer if they are well behaved"  
"You are such a strange guy" Clint said and Loki raised an eyebrow, just like Cara use to do.  
"Coming from the man that behaves like a bird, with a nest and all" Loki said.  
"Burn!" Tony said, and Clint threw a pillow at Tony, before he started chasing him, soon joined by the twins.

* * *

 

"I enjoyed the evening, far more than I expected" Loki told her as the laid in bed.  
"Glad to hear that" Cara said. She had enjoyed it too, a lot. And she was glad that Loki had too. She was really happy that Loki felt more relaxed, learning that life can be fun and silly. Not having to be scared, sad or lonely all the time.  
"But I am happy that it's only something you do once a year" he said. "I don't think I could handle to much of it"  
"Well as long as you can handle it on new year's eve" Cara said as she heard Loki sigh, already forgotten about the day, and Cara laughed.

* * *

 

The following week had passed quickly, and the snow had covered all of New York. And it had made the twins really excited, and they had turned to roof into a snow castle. Cara had played with them almost every day, loving the chance of playing in the snow. Loki had also joined them, and he had turned a part of the roof into a skating rink, something the twins had really enjoyed. Cara had tried to enjoy it with them, but she was really bad at ice skating, something the twins had laughed at. But Loki had stepped onto the ice and helped her skate. And as Tony laughed at her, Loki gave him donkey ears and Cara had laughed. Tony had demanded to get them removed, but Loki had refused, until he learned to behave. After that the others didn't laugh at Cara. Not that she had minded, since she laughed when she managed to trip herself and Loki. But she appreciated that Loki cared that much.

* * *

 

"Loki remove them! I refuse to start a new year with donkey ears" Tony said as he stood next to Loki.  
"No. You have yourself to blame Anthony" Loki said to the other man.  
"You are mean!" Tony said, which made Loki laugh.  
"I think that's my thing" he answered him as the twins come running towards them.  
"Uncle Tony, still looks funny!" Narfi said and both Tony and Loki looked at each other, surprised to hear him call Tony uncle.  
"You know that I am not your uncle?" Tony asked and Narfi looked at him, like Tony was an idiot, almost like Loki could look at them sometimes.  
"We know. Just like Cara isn't our real mother. But we are a family now, so Cara is our mother, and you and the others become our uncles and aunts" Narfi explained and Tony laughed.  
"If you say so little guy" Tony answered.  
"Where is mother?" Váli asked.  
"She is inside with Pepper, Jane and Peggy" Loki said and the twins nodded.  
"Let's visit them" Narfi said and took Váli's hand as they ran away.

"Well how does it feel to have me as a part of your family Loki?" Tony teased and Loki raised an eyebrow.  
"You can't be worse than some of the others" Loki teased back and Tony smiled.  
"Well guess you are right about that. And do you know that you are raising an eyebrow this days, just like Cara does?" Tony said teasing Loki who just smiled.  
"I guess I am" he only answered and tony almost felt disappointed that Loki didn't got bothered about his teasing.

"You really care about her, don't you?" Tony asked as they turned around and looked out over the city.  
"Wouldn't be marrying her otherwise" Loki told Tony who just smiled.  
"I am glad you are settling down reindeer games, and with her. She actually manage to bring out the best in you" Tony said.  
"Settling down? You talk like you have known me for years Anthony, and like I have gone between different women all those years." Loki said before he admitted, "But she does bring out the best in me. Something only she can"  
"Well I have known you for some time now, actually. Not years maybe, but long enough to say that I am glad that you have someone. I mean when they brought you here, none of us was happy, and none of us wanted you here. Not that you wanted to be here either. And none of us could see why on earth she loved you, or even think that you could love her. I mean, you didn't give us the best first impression. But you proved us wrong, and I am glad to see that it actually worked out between you guys. Both of you deserve someone, and don't take it the wrong way, but especially you" Tony told him and Loki looked at him almost surprised, before he smiled.  
"Thank you Tony" he said and Tony smiled too, especially when Loki removed the ears.   
"Anytime,  _bro_ " Tony said and Loki rolled his eyes.  
"Don't make me throw you out of a window again" Loki teased back and Tony laughed just as some of the others walked out onto the balcony.

"Are you ready?" Clint asked, sounding really excited.  
"For a new year? You do know that this isn't the first time it becomes a new year?" Loki teased.  
"No but it's the first time with us! And here on earth, or is it?" Clint answered.  
"I am already regretting, spending this time with you. Being teased by Tony, and forced to have you around" Loki said and Clint gave him a look.  
"Hey!" Clint said and tried to hit Loki in the head, but the good just ducked, which made him hit Bruce instead.  
"I appreciate if you don't hit me" Bruce said.  
"It was Loki's fault!" Clint said, defending himself.  
"This is only your own fault Clint. You can't blame me for avoiding the hit" Loki said.  
"Yeah your fault bird boy!" Tony said and Clint gave him a cold look.  
"Thanks for the support guys" Clint answered.  
"Our pleasure" Loki said as the rest of them walked out on the balcony.

Steve was caring a tray with glasses on it, talking to Peggy and Pepper. Natasha talked to Jane and Cara was holding the twins hands as they was talking excited about something the others didn't hear.  
"It's almost time" Thor said, almost jumping up and down, and when the twins started doing it, so did Thor.  
"You are going to make us fall through the roof, your big oaf" Loki said and Thor stopped, as he become red.  
"But I am happy" Thor said.  
"That we could figure" Loki said as he accepted the glass Steve gave him.  
"Let him jump. If we fall down the roof, I think I can save us, at least some of us" Cara said as she walked up next to him.  
"Some of us?" Tony asked.  
"Yeah some of us. I am afraid a few of you will fall down" she said as Thor started jumping up and down with the twins, as they were counting down.

"10!" they shouted.  
"Look up towards the sky" Cara told Loki and he looked at her.  
"Why?" Loki asked and she smiled.  
"You will soon see" she answered, not telling him about new year's eve.  
"5!" they said.  
"You really have strange traditions" Loki said and Cara laughed.  
"We have a few more to celebrate next year" she told him as she took his hand and looked up towards the sky.  
"0!" they said and as they did the sky started to fill with fireworks.

"Happy new year!" the others shouted and Cara looked at Loki.  
"Happy new year" she said and kissed him.  
"Happy new year" he answered and kissed her back, before he looked towards the sky again.  
"It's beautiful" he said and Cara nodded.  
"It really is. It's one of my favourite things" she admitted, she had loved the fireworks since she was a child. Especially then since Severus did it for her every year, and when she was really young, she even managed to make her father to join them, before everything. Those moments were some of the few good ones she had with him. Loki walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.  
"Let's make this a good year" he told her and Cara smiled.  
"Let's make this a good year" she answered, hoping that everything would go well. They would bring down Odin, Loki would get his justice and she would be able to marry him.  
"LET'S PARTY" Tony shouted as they started to walk inside.

* * *

 

Thor woke up, knowing that this day was different. This day would change everything, and he would do something he never thought he would do, he would fight his father. Thor thought he would feel nervous, but he didn't. He felt calm, and he felt dedicated, he did this for Loki, he did this so his brother would get his life back. Because even if Loki didn't complain, not really about living here with Tony and the rest of them. And even if Loki wasn't as scared as when they found him, Thor knew better. Thor knew that Loki felt trapped here, scared of leaving the tower, especially after what happened with Abjorn. And Thor was actually happy that his brother wanted to fight now, even if it wasn't for the same reasons as the others. Thor wasn't surprised that Loki wanted to fight to protect his family, but he was surprised that he didn't care about fighting for what was done to him. So Thor felt like he needed to do that.

"Be careful today" Jane said as she turned towards him. Thor was putting on his armour and he smiled towards his wife.  
"I promise to be careful" he said and Jane nodded, knowing that it was all that she could ask. She couldn't affect the outcome of the battle, or even take part of it. She would be forced to wait here, until it was over.  
"Take good care of the twins, and try to explain to Cara when we have left" Thor said.  
"She still isn't going? Or have talked to Loki about it?" Jane asked and Thor thought about it.  
"I don't know. She hasn't taken part in any of the meetings, and to my knowledge she hasn't talked to Loki about it." Thor said.  
"Strange" Jane only said as she laid down in bed again and Thor left the room.

* * *

 

Thor entered the common room and saw that Natasha and Clint was there, in the company of Peter, Strange, and Steve.  
"Good morning" Thor said and the others nodded towards him.  
"Cara has made breakfast" Clint said and pointed towards the table and Thor nodded. For once Clint wasn't hugging all the food, no he was acting calm and collective, he was on a mission, or about to start one.  
"Where are the others?" Thor asked as he took some bread.  
"Tony and Bruce are getting some things down the lab. Wanda is on her way, or that's my guess. And Loki, well I guess he is saying goodbye to the twins" Steve said.  
"And Cara?" Thor asked.  
"I don't know. She was here when we got here, but she left. Jarvis where is Cara?" Steve asked.  
"Lady Cara is in her room, Mr. Rogers" Jarvis answered.  
"Isn't she going to say goodbye?" Thor asked.  
"Maybe not. I mean if she still thinks Loki is going to stay, maybe she doesn't have a reason to say goodbye" Steve said.  
"You really think she thinks Loki is going to stay?" Clint said.  
"And not saying goodbye to the rest of us?" Tony asked as he and Bruce left the elevator.  
"I don't know if she thinks Loki is going to stay." Steve said.  
"And why would she want to say goodbye to you?" Wanda teased as she entered the house.  
"Hey!" Tony just answered as Loki entered the room.

"Are you ready?" Thor asked and Loki only nodded. Thor could tell that his brother was nervous, really nervous. And Thor tried to not make it affect him but it was hard. Seeing Loki like that made him nervous. Thor rarely got nervous, but Loki got even less nervous, because when Thor rushed into battle, Loki always calculated everything knowing what he was getting himself into. And this time he really knew. Loki know what was going to happen if they got caught, he was the one that had the most to lose. Loki know what Odin was going to do to him, and what he was going to do if he caught the twins and Cara.

Thor didn't know what was going to happen to him if they lost, not to him or his friends. But he knew that it wasn't going to be as bad as it was for Loki. Thor swore not to make that happen! He didn't care what happened to himself, but he would protect Loki, knowing that his brother had been through too much already.  
"This is the last chance you have to change your mind" Thor said and Loki nodded.  
"Let's go" he said, trying to keep his voice steady.  
"Is everyone ready?" Steve asked, looking at them all, making sure that they all could change their mind if they wanted. "Do you have everything, are you all sure about the plan? Do you need some more time?"  
"We went over the plan yesterday Cap, we will be fine" Tony said.  
"And yet every time you still manage not to follow the plan" Clint said to Tony who just gave him a cold look.  
"Keep focused!" Steve told them  
"I am focused, its Clint who aren't focused!" Tony said. "We know what we are doing!"

"None of you know what you are doing" Cara suddenly said behind them, and they turned around to face her.  
"You come to say goodbye?" Tony asked, but as she walked closer he could see how she was dressed in a black outfit, with a quiver on her hip and a bow in her hand. Cara just gave him a look before she walked up next to Loki.  
"You really thought I didn't know anything? And that I would let you do this alone?" she asked him and Loki smiled towards her.  
"I think I was more hoping. Wanting you to be safe" he said in a low voice and Cara placed her hand on his cheek.  
"My sweet, sweet Loki, I am not safer here then on the battlefield. And I appreciate that you want to protect me, but I am almost sure that I have stood on more battlefield then you have" she said and smiled towards him. "And my place is by your side"  
Loki opened his mouth to say something, but Cara saw how he struggled with the words and she leaned forward to kiss him.  
"You don't need to say anything" she told him and Loki nodded and Cara turned towards the others.

"Are you ready Cara?" Steve asked and she almost laughed.  
"I am ready" she told him.  
"You know the plan?" Steve asked and Cara nodded.  
"I have some people fill me in" she said in a very cryptically voice and the others slowly nodded.  
"Then, let's get started" Strange said and Cara took Loki's hand, and she soon felt the familiar feeling of being transported through different dimensions.


	31. They are here

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so, so sorry that this chapter has taken forever. And I am also so, so sorry if you don't like it. I have struggled with this chapter so much. I am no good at writing fight scenes, so instead I went for making it feel chaotic and like you just saw bits of it. Sorry if you don't like it. And well I am also sorry if you felt like you didn't get enough descriptions. And I just don't know. It was just a difficult chapter for me to write and yeah. I just hope you can get through it.
> 
> And yes here you have Thor's daughter, Thrúd. And Sigrún are just a random Valkyrie. There isn't a specific leader, not what I can remember anyway. So I just took a name. 
> 
> I don't think I have much more to say. I know that it's a short chapter, but I needed to end it, before it become even worse. And well sorry to anyone who likes Sif.
> 
> Next chapter will be the fight with Odin, and the start of what happens in court, maybe, depending on how far I will come in the story.
> 
> So thank you to anyone that still reads this, I appreciate it very much.
> 
> Try to enjoy the chapter :)

"So, this is Asgard?" Tony asked when they arrived. He looked around, Asgard looked like he thought it would, but at the same time not. The city seemed to reach heaven. And even if he could see that the buildings were old, it was in a style, unfamiliar for him. But even if it was an old city, with old buildings, Tony could see that they had technology he could only dream of, but they were gods for a reason. But what surprised him was the nature. The city was standing on mountains, with waterfalls falling down, to where he couldn't even see. And the forest that was placed around the city, making it look like Asgard just borrowed some space to stand on, from the forest. It was so beautiful that Tony couldn't help himself from taking a picture of it.  
"No, I think we took the wrong turn and ended up in a bakery" Clint teased, by answering the same way Tony had, when they were in Hell.  
"Always the funny guy, birdman" Tony said "But it's beautiful, I am actually jealous of you guys. Living here"  
"Asgard is a magnificent and beautiful place, I can show you around if you like Tony" Thor said and Tony looked at him.  
"I would love that, and have a chance to take a look at your technology, I can see that you are far far ahead of us" Tony said and Thor was about to answer when Cara took her bow and hit them both in their head.

"Ouch. What are you doing?" Tony asked and Cara gave them both a cold look.  
"Focus!" she answered very coldly. "This isn't like the fights you normally do! You can't joke around and look at the scenery. You are up against gods! And you Thor should know that!"  
Both men looked at each other before they nodded and the others tried to hide their amusement.  
"Thank you" Loki said to her and Cara smiled. Cara could tell how nervous he was. He was very focused, almost too much. He reacted to everything, he was holding the sword she gave him, in a grip that made his knuckles go white. He was very tensed and Cara knew that he needed to relax, otherwise he would do to many mistake.

"Loki?" Cara said and he turned his green eyes towards her and she took his hands. "Close your eyes for a second"  
"Why?" Cara could hear the hesitation in his voice, but she just gave him a warm look, and he closed his eyes.  
"Take a deep breath, and just for a second let everything go. Don't think about anything, don't feel anything, don't hear anything, just let go" she said.  
"I can't do..." Loki started before he stopped and Cara smiled. The others looked at them, very curious, but she didn't mind them.  
"I want you to remember that you aren't here alone. We are all here, and we are all going to help you. We won't leave you alone, and we won't let Odin get to you. If you get scared or anything else, just talk to us, ask us to leave or anything else you want. We will help you. Don't let the fear win over you before we have started. Don't let Odin win! We are here, I promise you, whatever happens we are here, I am here. Just remember that, you aren't alone!" Cara leaned forward and kissed him, and Loki opened his eyes, and when she backed away he smiled.  
"What did you do?" Loki asked, a bit confused and Cara turned her palms towards him, showing him for him unfamiliar signs.  
"Some old friends thought me. It's a spell that makes people empty their mind, relax for a moment and refocus. And I could also give you information, and know that you would listen to it" Cara explained with a calm smile. Loki first looked a bit betrayed, and she hoped she hadn't hurt him, by using magic without telling him. But then he nodded, and smiled again.  
"Thank you, I think I needed that" Loki said.  
"Just remember that we are here for you" Cara said and took Loki's hand.  
"Are you ready Loki?" Thor asked and Loki nodded. "Then let's go"

* * *

 

They started walking away from the bridge, being on their guard, not knowing what would happen. Cara looked at the familiar halls, Tony was right, Asgard was beautiful, but Cara had never liked it. She guessed it was because of how they treated Loki. And if a place had painful memories, it didn't matter that it was beautiful.  
"Left" Thor said.  
"We know, we have studied the maps" Tony answered and Cara know that it didn't matter how much they have studied the maps, if they get separated and attacked, they are going to get lost anyway.  
"My only purpose was to help you friend" Thor said and Tony was about to answer when Cara raised a hand.  
"Someone is coming"

Further down the hall they could all hear steps. And they all looked at each other and nodded, they needed to hide. Cara took Loki's hand and turned both of them invisible, Natasha and Clint found a way up, to hide in the beams. Tony flew up there too, Bruce and Steve hid between to big pillars, while Thor decided to hide outside the window, flying. As the steps got closer, Cara felt how Loki tensed up between her, and she walked closer, to let him know that she is there for him. Loki looked at her and he put a protective arm around her. Cara smiled towards him, knowing that even if he was scared, he didn't want anything to happen to her, not after the last time. Cara didn't say anything about it, knowing that she would do everything again if she needed to. And she wouldn't let anyone of them touch Loki again, especially not anyone from Asgard.

When the step got closer, they started to hear voices, and when they got even closer they could see that the people had weapons, bloody weapons. Cara wasn't sure how to read the signs, but bloody weapons was almost never a good sign.  
"They didn't have a chance" a voice sad.  
"Thought they could ambush us" another one said.  
"What I don't understand are, how they know about us? Who did tell them?"  
"They have people on their side who knows things like that."  
"Didn't help them. We ended them anyway"  
"Quiet! We aren't alone!" a woman said and just as she said those words, Loki let go of her hand, and she didn't stop him.

"Hel" he said, when he got visible, and he smiled towards his daughter.  
"Father" Hel answered and walked over. When the others saw Hel, they got out from their hiding places and smiled towards her.  
"You scared us" Steve said and Hel smiled.  
"My apologises. We come in contact with a group that waited for us. We ended them, but we also got late to the meeting point." Hel explained.  
"Well then we can walk together" Clint said and Hel nodded.  
"Have you heard anything from your brothers?" Loki asked and Hel smiled towards him.  
"They are fine father. Don't worry about them" Hel said and smiled towards Cara, who also smiled. Loki didn't answer them, he just sighed. And walked over to Thor.  
"Letting them meet each other, may be my life's biggest mistake" Loki said to Thor who just laughed as they kept walking towards the room, where they should meet the others.

* * *

 

"They are here" Thor said. They had met up with the others, and they had done their part of the plan. They had either arrested the few people left, the people closest to Odin. They had also killed some people who was a threat for them. And everything had gone well, almost too well. That was what Cara thought, and like the world wanted to prove her right, the alarm sounded. And if Cara hadn't been learned the hard way that something always went wrong on the battlefield, she may have been surprised, or scared, now she was just calm. What ever happened, she was prepared, knowing that what happened, it wouldn't be something new.

"The Valkyries?" Volstagg asked.  
"Yes" Thor only answered, and he wasn't happy that they were here. He had hoped that they wouldn't come. It was a false hope, he knew that, they would be here, but he didn't look forward to this. He knew that she would be there, and he knew that he would need to fight her. But he also knew that he couldn't hurt her, or abounded Loki. Thor didn't know what to do. All he could hope for was that she may see. But he doubts she will, always being Sif's girl. Thor knew that Thrúd, would have sided with Sif, and therefore Odin. All Thor could wish for was that she wouldn't force him to do something he didn't want to do.

"Let me try something" Frigga said and the others turned towards her. "I want to see if I can talk to them"  
"That's an good idea" Thor said and Frigga smiled towards her oldest, knowing how much he worried about this battle.  
"I am not sure if it's a good idea. Can we really trust Odin? Even if you are his queen, I am not sure that he will spare you, if he knows" Cara said, but the others looked at her and smiled.  
"Father would never hurt mother" Thor said.  
"I think Thor is right, nothing have told us that Odin want's to hurt Frigga. And if this can spare us from a battle, I think we shall take the chance" Steve said.  
"Let's try" Tony said and Cara just gave them an unsure look.  
"Are you really willing to take the chance?" she asked.  
"We are. The worst that may happen are that father arrests her, and schools her" Thor said, and Cara was about to protest again but they stopped her.  
"We are going to do this" Clint said and Cara sighed, feeling that this would only go bad.

"Be careful mother" Loki said and Frigga smiled towards him.  
"I will" she said and kissed his cheek, before she walked towards the bridge, where the Valkyries, had gathered. The others followed her, but stopped when Frigga walked towards the gate. And even if Frigga didn't show it, she was nervous, she rarely stood on the battlefield, so she had a hard time knowing how to control her feelings. But she did her best, she was a queen, and she couldn't let the others show that she was scared. But if she was honest, she was more scared for what may happen to her family, then herself. And as she walked out on the bridge she acted surprised.

"Oh Sigrún" Frigga said and looked at the leader of the Valkyries, where they sat on the flying horses. "You scared me"  
The warrior looked at her, but they didn't say anything.  
"What are you all doing here? Is something wrong?" Frigga asked, pretending, not to know why they were here.  
Still none of them answered her.  
"Do I need to be worried about something?" Frigga asked, and looked at them, stopping with her gaze at Thrúd. "Hello Thrúd"  
But her granddaughter didn't answer her and Frigga, started to worry, but she didn't let them know.  
"May I pass?" she asked instead, and the Valkyries looked at each other before they nodded.  
"We are sorry for this my queen" Sigrún said and Frigga didn't have time to react before spears, and arrows flew towards her. Frigga stood there, without backing or showing any fear, preparing for the worst. She saw the arrows flying towards her when Cara rushed in front of her, raised a barrier between Frigga and the weapons. They hit the blue wall, and fell down on the ground. The Valkyries looked surprised and Cara sent a white light towards them, making them temporally blind, as she escaped with Frigga.

"Thank you Cara" Frigga said when they were inside again, but Cara only nodded.  
"Father really tried to have you killed" Thor said in shock, and Frigga was in the same state.  
"He has nothing to lose. He knows that he can't control you anymore. You know the truth, and therefore you are a threat" Cara said to them.  
"But mother, he would never" Thor said and Cara gave him a look.  
"He would. Trust me, I know." Cara only said and Loki took her hand and she smiled. "To get past them, we need to fight"  
"Isn't there another way around?" Natasha asked.  
"There is another bridge further south" Thor said.  
"Then half of us go there, while the rest of us, fights here" Steve said.  
"No" Cara said and they looked at her. "That's what's Odin want's. He wants us to split up. Fighting in two different fronts, it will make us weaker. Who knows what he has waiting for us there. He know this place better than anyone else, he knows all the ways, and he knows us, he knows what we will most likely do"  
"So what shall we do?" Peter asked and Cara thought about it.  
"I say fight the Valkyries, but don't walk through the door on the other side. We climb the walls" Cara said and the others looked at her. "We can run on the roofs, but for that we need to get rid of the Valkyries, because they will kill us if we fight up in the air!"  
"I like that idea. I love being on the rooftops" Peter said and the others thought about it.  
"Are we sure it will work?" Steve asked.  
"No" Cara only answered.  
"Then how will we know if it works?" Tony asked.  
"If we wins, we will know" Loki said.  
"Sounds reassuring" Tony muttered.  
"War isn't reassuring" Cara only said as she walked towards the door.

* * *

 

"Force them to land!" Erik shouted, as he blocked an attack with his shield.  
"Thor!" Volstagg shouted and Thor nodded. He raised Mjolnir and started to spin it around, and soon he took off, reaching the roofs. Thor looked towards the sky, before he summoned dark clouds, and soon the thunder sounded over the battle. The Valkyries looked towards the sky.  
"Keep fighting! Don't let the intruders reach Odin!" Sigrún shouted, just as the first lighting hit the wall behind her.  
"Keep firing!" Steve shouted, looking at the others.  
"Don't let them surround you!" Hogun said, as he tried to get free from the women, who was flying around him. Cara raised her bow and soon the arrow flew through the air, and hit one of the women in the eye, making her fall of her horse. Hogun nodded towards her, and she nodded back, before she turned a woman flying towards her.

"Look out to the right!" Tony shouted as he come flying with five warriors after him, the people on the bridge dodged, and Peter looked at the woman and got an idea. He looked at the passage between the bridge and a tower, and he spun a net there.  
"Tony!" He shouted and Tony looked at the teenager and to where he was pointing, and he nodded.  
"Roger!" Tony said and turned around, with the warriors after him. He flew towards the net, but just as he was about to fly right into it, he stopped and the warriors flew past him, and into the net. The horses got stuck, and started to panic, as the riders tried to break free.  
"Don't let them break free!" Tony shouted and Peter nodded, and started spinning more web.

"Natasha" Clint shouted and the red head looked at him. He was about to shot an arrow at someone behind her, she threw herself to the right, just at Clint's arrow past and hit a woman, standing there with a spear.  
"Would love to get a bit more heads up next time" Natasha said, but Clint only smiled.  
"What would be the fun in that?" he answered, just as Natasha raised her gun, and fired. Clint saw that she was firing to his left, and he moved out a bit, and he saw a woman fall.  
"I didn't even get a heads up" he complained and Natasha just smiled before she turned to face a new enemy.

* * *

 

"We need to land" a woman said to Sigrún.  
"No!" Sigrún said.  
"Thor's lighting is going to hit us!" another one said.  
"Keep moving and it will not hit you!" Sigrún said as she flew away.  
"Watch out!" Thrúd shouted as Sigrún flew into an arrow. Thrúd looked at the blond woman, who had fired, with anger in her eyes.  
"Catch her!" Thrúd said as Sigrún started to fall of her horse. Thrúd grabbed her sword and started flying towards the other woman. How did she dare to hurt her friend?

Thrúd was almost at the woman, preparing herself to stab the woman, when her uncle, Loki, pulled the woman towards him, saving her life. Thrúd's stab missed the woman, making her lose her balance, and it was in that moment Loki dragged her down from the horse. Thrúd had never liked her uncle, always playing tricks on everyone, being cold and arrogant. Looking down on everyone, thinking he was better and that he deserved to rule over them. All he ever did was trying to get rid of them. That's why her mother had sent her to the Valkyries, to be safe. And she had been safe from him, but as it looked now, not everyone was. Her mother and Grandfather had told her, how he had tried to take over planets, killing and enslaving people. They had caught him, but he had got free somehow. And now he wanted to kill them all, seeking revenge. Her mother told her that Loki managed to enchant her father, her beloved father, and now he wanted to kill her grandfather. She had to stop him. Thrúd, looked at Loki and raised her sword, an attacked him, but he parried her blow with his own sword.

"Hello Thrúd" Loki said, and just hearing his voice made her angry, hating him even more.  
"Give me back father!" she shouted, and tried to get past his defence.  
"You think I am controlling him?" Loki said with a cold smile. "Still listening to your mother, I hear"  
"Of course you are controlling him!" Thrúd shouted and attacked him more furiously, but Loki easily blocked her.  
"I am not" Loki only answered her.  
"Lier!" Thrúd shouted and when Loki didn't answer her, she got even more mad. Attacking him without caring about her surroundings. She forgot about all her training, only wanting to end Loki. And when he danced around her, she was following him, without thinking of what she was doing. She didn't see what happened around her, or what Loki was doing. She only saw red, and when she tried to stab him from above, he grabbed her wrist, and made her drop her sword.  
"Let go of me!" Thrúd shouted, but Loki didn't listen. He only looked over his shoulder, towards Thor.  
"Before I kill her, will you take her?" Loki asked and Thor walked over to them.  
"Thank you Loki" Thor said and Loki looked at him.  
"If she had killed Cara, she would have been dead" was all Loki said before he walked away.

"Are you alright Thrúd?" Thor asked and looked at his daughter, who looked very confused.  
"Father?" she asked and Thor nodded, before he hugged her.  
"No, stay away, he is controlling you!" Thrúd said and pointed at Loki, who was standing with Cara.  
"No, he isn't. I am doing this on free will. No matter what Sif or Odin have told you, it isn't true!" Thor said, and Thrúd just shook her head.  
"You attacked us!" she said and looked around, her friends was defeated. "Where are they?"  
Thor looked at his daughter, who looked very devastated.  
"They are alright. Mother is taking care of them" Thor said.  
"Why?" Thrúd asked and Thor laughed.  
"Because they got hurt, and they don't deserve that. Odin has fooled you, like all of us" Thor said and Thrúd didn't understand what he meant.  
"Talk to your grandmother, and she will tell you" Thor said and started walking with his daughter towards Frigga.

* * *

 

"Hello" Frigga said towards them.  
"Sigrún" Thrúd said and ran over to her friend.  
"Hi" Sigrún said, with a weak voice.  
"You are alive"  
"The spider boy caught me" Sigrún said and pointed towards a young boy, strangely dressed.  
"Why?" Thrúd asked.  
"Listen to your grandmother, and she will tell you. We were wrong to attack them, I was wrong to attack them" Sigrún admitted.  
"But we needed to stop Loki" Thrúd said, and looked over to the place where Loki was standing with the woman.  
"No we didn't" Sigrún said.  
"Let's talk for a bit, Thrúd, while the others keep going" Frigga said and Thrúd looked at Thor, who smiled.  
"We will be back" Thor said and kissed Thrúd on the forehead, before he and the others left.

* * *

 

Climbing to the roof was easy with, especially since Thor, Peter and Tony could take them to the roof without trouble. And soon the walked on the roof, towards the throne room, seeking Odin.

Cara looked at the streets beneath them, seeing soldiers walking.  
"They are looking for us" Erik whispered, and the others looked at the soldiers, knowing it would take them a long time to get through that. And if they did, they would most likely come out as the bad guys. Fighting soldiers, that most likely have been fooled by Odin.  
"He don't play fare" Tony said and Cara looked at him.  
"Like that is something new" She said as they kept walking.

"He really want us to look as the bad guys" Peter said.  
"He does. It's easier for him to stay in control if we do" Strange said.  
"Everything that happens here, he can blame on us. If Frigga had died, it would have been our fault. If the soldiers on the streets dies, it's our fault. We are helping Loki after all" Natasha said.  
"How can the people believe that?" Peter asked.  
"Because they know nothing else. The one that rules, decides the truth." Cara said.  
"That's stupid!" Peter said and Cara smiled towards him, he was still young.  
"It is. But if you give no reason to doubt your ruler, no one will. And they have had no reason to doubt Odin" Cara said and Peter was about to say something more, but Loki spoke instead.  
"Odin have planned this since he brought me here, and I played into his lies, and games. So there is no reason for the people to doubt Odin when it comes to me" Loki said with a bitter voice, and Cara gave him a smile, letting him know that it wasn't his fault.  
"They should still think, themselves. Stupid people, and stupid Odin. I want to hang him from the celling" Peter said.  
"Young people" Tony said, joking and Cara just smiled towards them as they kept walking.

* * *

 

"We are here" Thor said as they stopped on the top of the throne room.  
"How do we get in?" Wanda asked. "Without Odin knowing?"  
"He already knows that we are here" Natasha said.  
"What I meant it. How do we get in without Odin seeing us? Surprising him" Wanda said.  
"I think we can't. My father will be waiting for us, no matter what we do" Thor said.  
"Then we get in with a bang!" Tony said with a smile and flied up, aiming on the roof, and the others, barely had any time to get out of the way. The roof, exploded, and a gigantic gap opened up. "There you go"

With those words Tony flew in, soon followed by Thor, Clint, Peter, Wanda and Erik and his men. Natasha looked at them, before she soon followed the others, with Steve, Bruce and Strange at her side. Cara looked at Loki, who took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and tried to relax  
"Are you ready?" she asked and he opened his eyes. Cara met the cold green eyes. She saw the hatred in them, the dedication but also the fear.  
"I am ready" Loki said and stood up.  
"I am right by your side" Cara said as they went after the others.

* * *

 

When they entered the throne room, they were surrounded by soldiers. The others looked at the throne, but instead of seeing Odin there, they saw Sif.  
"Hello Thor" she said.  
"Sif!" Thor almost growled.  
"He need to be stopped. But anyone of you wish to live, you can yield and we will spare you, and you can return home" Sif said. "Except you Cara! Odin will not let you go"  
"How kind of him, to think of me so special, that he want to keep me here" Cara said sarcastic.  
"So will anyone of you yield?" Sif asked, but none of the others were moving. "Thor this is madness! You know it! You will die here! And for him, of all people! Thor think of what you are doing!"  
"I am Sif! I had hoped that you would see clear, but you are blinded by hate" Thor said and looked at the men in the room. "Anyone of you who, will lay down your weapon, in this moment, will be spared. You who will fight, will face the consequences, either here or after the battle. This is the only warning you will get!"

The men in the room, looked between Sif and Thor, not knowing what to think or to do. They looked at each other, but then someone nodded and shouted.  
"For Asgard!"  
"For Odin!"

And then they started to run towards them. For Cara this was all too familiar and she prepared herself. She chose to throw the bow aside, knowing that it would be useless, in close combat. Instead she pulled a sword, knowing that she would have better use for it. Cara looked at the young man, probably older then herself, running towards her. She raised her sword, and when he got closer she stabbed him with ease in the chest.

* * *

 

"Watch out, arrows!" Strange shouted. Cara looked up, seeing, archers further down the hall.  
"Take them out!" Cara shouted, as she raised a barrier, stopping the arrows. Cara looked at Thor and Tony, who nodded and flew down the room. And when she saw that they took care of it, she let the barrier feel. She turned to the men, rushing towards her and she prepared herself. She touched her magic inside of her, letting it be close by, but not wanting to use it, not yet. She wanted to save it until she really needed it. But since she wasn't a master swordsman, she wanted to play it safe.

"Cara!" Sif shouted when she got closer. Cara turned towards the woman, and smiled coldly. Sif had hated her since first day. Cara had understood very soon that it was because she befriended Loki, and showed Thor, Loki's goods side. Sif wanted Thor to believe that his brother was gone, a lost cause, and that he should forget about him. But Cara had stopped her plans. And Cara guessed Sif blamed her, as much as she blamed Loki for what had happened between her and Thor.  
"Lady Sif" Cara said in a taunting voice.  
"Why wasn't I surprised, when Odin told me, you helped Loki." Sif said and Cara laughed.  
"Because you are seeking a reason to blame me, for your own mistakes" Cara said.  
"My mistakes? I have done nothing wrong" Sif said. "It was…"

Sif attacked her in the middle of the sentence, but Cara was prepared, used that trick herself. Cara blocked her attack, with a cold smile, she did nothing to hide the hate she felt for Sif. Sif may not have done Loki anything since he got back. But she watched without doing anything, and she had always hated Loki. Cara would have no problem with hurting her. But she knew that she had to be careful, knowing Sif was a better swordsman, then she was.

"It's going to be a pleasure to hand you over to Odin" Sif said and Cara raised an eyebrow.  
"Don't celebrate your victory yet" Cara said and pushed Sif backwords, before she kicked her, making Sif stumble to the left.  
"Just like Loki, you can't fight fare" Sif said and Cara smiled.  
"Doesn't matter how I fight, as long as I win" Cara answered and Sif laughed at those words, and jumped towards her, but Cara rolled to the side, avoiding her, but almost jumping into another man's sword, if Wanda hadn't stopped him. Cara nodded to thanks to the woman, before she turned towards Sif again.  
"Almost got you" Sif said and Cara smiled.  
"Can't give me to Odin if I die" Cara taunted and blocked another blow from Sif.  
"Don't need to kill you, just hurt you really bad" Sif said and attacked her again, this time with a lot of force, and Cara was forced to take a step back, and jump to the right. She stabbed a man, trying to attack her. Cara looked over the room, seeing that the others trying to fight off the soldiers, without hurting them. But they struggled, she could tell. But she was soon forced to go back to Sif.

"Help father" Mothi called as he entered the room with Magni and Thrúd. The siblings entered the room, followed by soldiers. And at once you could tell that Odin's soldiers got nervous. They had been unsure before, but they had gotten courage, because they were more, but Cara knew that numbers didn't win war, soldiers did. Even if numbers helped. Cara looked back at Sif, who also looked nervous, thinking she would win this without a problem. Sif looked back at Cara, who didn't say anything, Sif gave her a hatful look, and Cara prepared herself for another attack, when some soldiers ran into her, and she felt. Cara turned towards Sif, who's eyes sparkled with triumph, when she raised her sword. Cara summoned her magic, creating a barricade to protect her. She waited for Sif's blow, but instead she saw how a sword pierced her chest.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Loki said and pulled out his sword, and Cara looked at him, and smiled.  
"Thank you Loki" Cara said and looked at Sif, who was lying on the ground. Trying to stop the bleeding, and she stared at them in shock. It took a few moments before she screamed. And the people around them stopped, looking at Sif. The soldiers looked at each other in fear, and dropped their weapons.  
"Arrest them!" Magni said to his soldiers, and they started to arrest the soldiers they could get hold of, searching for the ones that flied.

"Sif!" Thor shouted when he saw her lying on the ground. Thor ran towards her and brought her up in his arms.  
"Thor" she said in pain. "I am sorry"  
"Don't speak!" Thor said, looking down at her wounds. "Who did this?"  
Thor looked at the people around him.  
"I did. I am sorry Thor, she attacked me, and I had to defend myself" Cara lied and Thor gave her an angry look, but then nodded, understandingly.  
"Thor, he isn't here" Sif whispered and Thor looked down at her.  
"Who isn't here?" Thor asked, not understanding what Sif meant.  
"Odin. It was all a trap. He wanted to keep you occupied" Sif started, grimace in pain. "He went to hurt Loki…"

At those words Cara looked at Sif, then back at Loki. Loki stood there, thinking of what it could mean. Loki was here, and Odin know that Loki would get here. So why wasn't he here? What else could Odin do, then capture Loki when he was here, fighting him. It was so easy for Odin to grab Loki right now, getting what he wants. But then Cara know that Loki would fight if Odin got him now. If Odin didn't get her and the twins.  
"We need to go back to earth" Cara said and Loki looked at her in horror.  
"The twins" he said, in the same second as Thor said.  
"Jane!" Thor said and looked down at the dying Sif.  
"Go" she said and Thrúd walked closer to Thor.  
"I take care of her!" she said and Thor nodded, handing over Sif, to his daughter.  
"We need to go now!" Cara shouted to the others, who looked at her. "Odin are on earth!"


	32. The Trial

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here is the newest chapter, I really hope you like it. Me myself isn't sure what I think of it. I am kind of happy with it. So hope you will too.
> 
> Anyway I don't have much to say about it, not more then that I once again isn't good at writing battles, but hope you survive. Or trials either. Never been to one, but hope you can like it.
> 
> Mord-siths, Darken and Richard Rahl, and all that, are from a book series named; Sword of truth. It's one of my favorite series, it's amazingly written, and if you ever get the chance, read it! If someone tells you to watch the series, run! Run so far away you can from that! It destroyed the books!
> 
> And well I think we have one, or two chapters left. Maybe three, but can't promise that. But I will write a second one, if anyone is interested.
> 
> Anyway, sorry that it took this long to give you this chapter, and you will have to wait a bit longer for the next once, since I am going to Japan for two weeks, leaving tomorrow. So have a nice time, while I am gone.
> 
> Thank you for reading my story, and sticking with it! Love you guys, for it!
> 
> Enjoy the chapter :)

 

* * *

 "Loki?" Cara said when she saw him, sitting on the floor, in the cell. Loki didn't look at her, he just stared at his hands, his bloody hands. "Loki!"  
Cara rushed to his side, not giving the guards time to react. Cara sank down, in front of him, forcing him to look at her.  
"I was so worried, I didn't know where you were, or what happened to you" she said, but Loki didn't answer, he only looked past her, like he was lost in thoughts. Cara put her hand on Loki's cheek, making him look at her. "Eyes on me"

"I…I…I couldn't do it; I couldn't kill him." Loki whispered "And look at me now, sitting here again"  
Cara saw how the guards where walking towards them, but she ignored them, she needed to talk to Loki.  
"Loki…" she started.  
"He is going to come after them, after what I did. He is going to kill them"  
"Loki listen to me. He isn't going to touch them, we will make sure of that" she said, trying to calm him down.  
"How can you make sure of that! You don't know him! After what we did, after what we planned. I really tried to kill him, but I can't, and he laughed at me as I was trying" Loki said as the guards come closer.  
"I couldn't kill my father either, despite everything he did to me. Despite everything they do, you are keeping some ridicules hope, a hope that everything will…change I guess" Cara said and Loki didn't answer.  
"I just want him dead" Loki whispered and Cara nodded.  
"I know, but as it is now, we need him alive, we need him to be able to get everything back" Cara said as the guards stopped.  
"We will take him to court now" one of the guards said and grabbed the bloody Odin. Cara only nodded before she turned towards Loki again.  
"If you want him dead, I can help you kill him" Cara said, but Loki didn't answer. "But after the trial"

Cara sat down, next to him.  
"How do you feel?" She asked and Loki was quite a long time.  
"I would have preferred if he was dead, and no one would get to know about this" he said and Cara took his hand. "You will get bloody"  
"I have had bloody hands before" she said with a smile "But I understand how you feel. And if you don't want to go, you don't need too"  
"I need to testify" Loki said and Cara shook her head.  
"Not really, we have Fandral, we have Amora, Fury, the Avengers and some of the guards. If you don't want to go there, you don't need too" Cara said and Loki only nodded.

Cara understood how he felt, she would never have liked to go up against her own father, she was convinced she wouldn't even be able to handle it. She knew that one look would make her stop talking.  
"I feel like I need to go, I need to see what will happen" Loki said, but he didn't move, and neither did Cara. "But if I go, everyone will look at me, and most likely judge me"  
"If they do, I am pretty sure your brother will end them" she told him, and me, she thought.  
"He…he…you are probably right" Loki said.  
"Probably? I am always right, love" Cara told him with a cocky smile.  
"You sound like Tony" Loki said and Cara pretended to give him a hurt look.  
"Ouch" she said and Loki smiled before he looked up in the celling.  
"Can we stay here for awhile?" he asked and Cara kissed his hand, feeling the blood against her lips, but not caring.  
"We can stay until you feel ready to leave" she said and Loki leaned against her shoulder, and they sat there in silence.

* * *

Thor looked at his father, being dragged into court, by two guards. He had some broken bones, he was bloody and dirty, most likely Loki's doing. Thor didn't blame him for that, he actually felt a bit proud of his brother. It was a strange thing to feel proud of, he knew, but he couldn't help it. After everything Odin put Loki through, Thor was happy that Loki got the chance to do something towards Odin.

The guards stopped in front of the throne Frigga was sitting on. Thor looked at his mother, he could see the hate in her eyes, but she looked collected and calm, he admires her for that. Thor had a hard time to stay calm after everything, especially since Odin went after Jane too.

* * *

_Strange brought them back to the tower, and everyone was prepared for the worse, but instead it was quite, to quite. At once they all got nervous, knowing that Odin could be anywhere, and do anything._

" _Jane?" Thor suddenly called, making the others jump. Cara sighed, now Odin know that they were here for sure. Before they didn't know if he knew.  
"Jane?" Thor called again, beginning to worry over his wife, not knowing where she was._

" _How nice of you to come and visit us" Odin said as he walked out from a room, with the twins and Jane by his side._  
_"Let Jane and the twins go!" Thor said and Odin gave him a cold look, the coldest he had ever given him._  
 _"I will deal with you later. I expected this low life" Odin said and looked at Loki "And Cara to do something like this, but you Thor? I am very disappointed in you. But it's okay, you will get your punishment too!"_  
 _"Such a great father you are!" Tony said and Odin looked at him. At once Tony wanted to look away. The hate coming from Odin's eyes, was like nothing he had seen before. Be he didn't look away, not wanting to give Odin the advantage._  
 _"Know your place, human! What I do with my children is none of your concern" Odin said._  
 _"It is when they get here, raped and tortured!" Tony snapped at him and he was about to say something more, when Loki stopped him. Tony gave Loki a puzzled look, but he understood that Loki didn't wish to see him hurt._

 _"How sweet of you, defending the humans. But it doesn't matter Loki, they will get their punishment. All of them are, and it's because of you!" Odin said and Cara noticed how those words effected Loki at once._  
"You can't blame someone else for your own actions" Cara said and Odin looked at her, before he laughed.  
"Braking you will give me much pleasure" Odin said and Cara smiled back at him.  
"I broke a long time ago, there is nothing left to break" she said and Odin looked at Loki.  
"I can break both of you, with the help of the other" he explained and Cara smiled again.  
"You can try, but it won't work. You aren't the first one to do that either. I think that all you evil men, have no imagination" Cara said and Odin only smiled before he looked at the twins and Jane.

 _"To be a fair man, I can let one of the go, you decide Thor!" Odin said and Thor looked at his father, then his brother. He couldn't choose between Jane and the twins, Odin knew that._  
_"I refuse" Thor said and Odin laughed._  
 _"You rather see all of them die, son?" Odin asked, but Thor didn't answer._  
 _"You are going to kill us all anyway, so it doesn't matter who he choose." Steve said and Odin looked at him._  
 _"Such a distrustful soldier" Odin only said, but Steve didn't answer him._

" _So are we going to stand here? Or are you even going to try something?" Odin asked with a grin, the others looked at each other, not sure what to say. They all wanted to attack him, but they needed to do it right, to save the twins and Jane, but also to be able to make Odin mortal. But they knew that they only had once chance on this._

" _We are waiting for you to let go of the kids and Jane" Natasha said and Odin looked at his hostage.  
"Well since you are here now, I don't need them anymore" Odin said and l smiled a cold smile. Cara knew that it wasn't good, and she tried to prepare herself for what may happen. But she wasn't sure what Odin could do, so she had to prepare for everything, which really is preparing for nothing. Cara saw how Odin raised his hand, and she waited for him to do something, but before she had time to react, Loki rushed forward. He grabbed the kids and Jane. And as he did Thor tackled Odin, just as a light appeared from Odin's hand, and sent a beam through the roof. Cara and the others looked at the gap, surprised, and shocked. Loki looked at his sons and Jane, they were bloody, scared but they were alive, before he turned towards Strange._

" _Can you take them to mother?" Loki asked and Strange nodded._  
_"They will be safe with me" he answered and Loki gave him a grateful smile, before Strange disappeared with the others._  
 _"No!" Odin said in an angry voice and pushed Thor aside. "Well I will get to them when I am done to you! And when I do, I am going to give them the same treatment as you"_

 _Odin pointed at Loki who become pale, and Cara understood what went through his mind. Letting the twins and Jane go through what Loki went through, will break them, and most likely kill them._  
_"You should never celebrate a victory before you have won" Cara said and Odin looked at her._  
_"I can't wait to take you like the dog you are. Feeling your small body between my legs, hearing you scream as I hurt you. And maybe I even make you give me a baby" Odin said as he took a step closer to Cara, who didn't move. She was scared, but she didn't show it to Odin._

" _Touch her and I will end you" Loki said and Odin took a step closer to Cara._  
_"I will let your watch as I take your woman, just like Abjorn did" Odin said and Loki walked closer to Odin. "Are you coming to me now?"_  
 _"Leave her out of this" Loki said and Odin laughed as he was about to grab Cara's wrist. Suddenly Odin flew backwords, landing on the floor a few meters away._  
 _"Don't touch Lady Cara" Thor said as Mjolnir come back to him._

_"Enough!" Odin said as he stood up. "This game is starting to get bored! Did any of you really think you stood a chance? Pathetic low life. I will punish you all, and I will have Loki back! He has always been mine, and will always be!"_   
_"You can't own people!" Cara said and Odin laughed._   
_"Naïve, silly girl! I will own you all. I will do whatever I want with all of you" Odin said, raising his staff and Cara didn't know what it would do, but nothing good._

_"Now" Peter suddenly said and threw some spider net at Odin, nailing him to the wall. "Help me, if we shall have a chance!"_   
_They all started to help Peter, but Odin broke free before they could, and he laughed._   
_"Well see you fight is going to make this more fun" Odin said as he started attacking them._

* * *

 

" _He is going to kill us!" Clint screamed as he shot an arrow at Odin, who easily avoided it._  
_"Well it was fun knowing you guys!" Tony said as a chair flew the air._  
 _"Concentrate!" Steve screamed towards them, not wanting to lose any of his teammate, at least not yet. He tried to stay positive, fighting Odin, but he was like nothing they had been up against before. He was a god after all, and fighting him was problematic._  
 _"For what, we are losing here!" Clint shouted back at him, which made Odin laugh._  
 _"At least some of you are cleaver" he said._  
 _"Shut up old man" Tony said and shot a laser beam at him, which made Odin aim at Tony. Tony avoided the hit, just in time._

_"You should just have given up!" Odin said when he got hold of Peter. "I wasn't found of your trick before!"_   
_Odin threw Peter into the wall, and the others heard bone cracking._   
_"Kid!" Tony said and flew over to him. He landed next to Peter, who was unconscious, bleeding from cuts all over his body, but he seemed to be alive. "Jarvis, scan him for injuries"_   
_"As you command Sir" Jarvis said and scanned Peter "He has a broken spine, a fracture to the head and a broken leg"_   
_"Fuck" Tony said and looked at Peter, he wasn't a big fan of leaving him, but he couldn't move him either, but he needed to try to help the others to defeat Odin. "Stay alive, kid"_

_Tony turned towards Odin, rage in his eyes._  
_"He's a fucking kid! But you don't care about that I guess, not after seeing how you treat your own kids!" Tony said, but Odin just smiled. Tony was about to fly towards him, when Cara stopped him. Tony was about to punch her to break free, when he saw her face._  
 _"If you die, you can't help Peter!" She said "You were about to fly into an invisible net, that would have shred you to pieces"_  
 _"Thank you" Tony only said and Odin looked disappointed._  
 _"Aren't you spoiling the fun!" He said and sent magic flying towards her, but she dodged and Odin missed._  
 _"My father used to throw magic at me all the time, so you have to do better than that!" Cara said._  
 _"Like this?" Odin asked and waved with his hands, Cara prepared to jump out of the way, but nothing happened, not at first at least. Slowly a man started to take form next to Odin, and as soon Cara saw how it was, she started to back away. "I thought you had missed your father. Go and say hi to each other"_  
 _Cara saw the all too familiar man get closer to her and she summoned her magic in her hands, but as he got closer, she couldn't do anything. She felt like a little girl again, scared, lost, hurt, lonely and helpless._  
 _"Cara" Loki shouted at her and Cara looked at him as he got closer, but he wasn't close enough. Cara saw her father take one more step before he reached out for her and she prepared herself. But just as she thought that her father would get her, he went right through her._

" _Wasn't that fun?" Odin said with a laugh, just as Loki got to her. Loki gave her a hug, but Cara just stared at Odin, with hate in her eyes. "I may think of a way to bring him back for good, and make him visit you from time to time in your cell!"_  
_"I will end him again!" Loki said and Odin just smiled towards his son._  
 _"Not when you are in change, kneeling before me!" he said, and Cara know what Odin was thinking of when he said those words, and so did Loki._  
 _"That will be hard to do when you are dead!" Cara said and Odin laughed as he walked closer to them._  
 _"You have high thoughts of yourself. You can't kill a good!" Odin said, but Cara didn't answer, as she saw Wanda getting closer. Cara knew that they only would have one chance to make this work._  
 _"Everyone can get killed" Cara said as Odin got closer. Cara saw that Bruce or rather the Hulk rushed towards them, but Odin raised his hand and threw the Hulk out of the window._

_"I have had enough of your childish games. I am ending this now" Odin said, as he threw Steve into the wall, making Tony burn inside his armour. He pressed Clint and Natasha to the floor, and he swung Mjolnir at Thor, making him fall to the floor. Cara saw that Odin didn't notice Wanda yet, most likely because she hadn't attacked him yet._   
_"You know what, I think I may start with the fun already, taking one of you here, as a victory" Odin said and at once Cara stepped in front of Loki, trying to protect him. "I see we have a winner"_

_Odin grabbed Cara's arm, pulling her closer, as Loki tried to hit Odin, making him realising her. But Odin just laughed as he was about to press his lips against hers, but he stopped._   
_"You know what, I changed my mind, I am starting with you Loki" with those words, Odin threw Cara away, making her hit some of the celling that had felled down, since Odin broke the roof. "This is going to be just like old times Loki"_   
_Loki tried to get away and Cara tried to get up, to get to him, but she couldn't, Odin forcing her down. Cara wanted to tell Loki to run, but she couldn't talk either. All she could do was watch, something she didn't want too._

_Odin grabbed Loki pulling him towards him, forcing his lips up on his. Before he hit Loki in the face. Cara heard how Loki's nose broke, and she saw the blood streaming down his face._  
_"I think I will take you against this table" Odin said and pushed Loki against the table, as he walked after him. Loki tried to get away from him, but Odin just grabbed him again, trying to rip of his clothes. Loki fought him and Odin laughed._  
 _"I have missed the moments you try to fight. But I will win as always. And when I take you, I will force you to look at Cara!" Odin said as he grabbed Loki and bent him over the table. Odin took a step back, starting to taking of his pants, before he walked towards Loki again. But when he tried, he couldn't something stopped him._

_Odin looked around and saw Wanda standing behind him, smiling, as she pointed down. Odin looked at the ground, and for the first time Cara saw fear in his eyes, he knew what the signs on the floor meant.  
"Welcome to a life as a mortal!" Wanda said before she finished the spell. Cara saw a purple light, glowing around a screaming and fighting Odin. Cara smiled a cold smile. Never had something felt so good, knowing that Odin would become mortal. As the light become more purple, Cara felt how Odin's magic become weaker and she could move again. She stood up, looking at Loki, who stood in front of Odin. He was scared, shocked, bloody, but he was smiling. Cara walked up to him. She didn't say anything; she just took his hand._

_When the light disappeared, Odin was lying on the floor, shaking, and Loki just stared at him. Cara looked carefully at Loki, wanting to make sure that he was as okay as he could be. Loki didn't move, he just stared at Odin, who stared back. Cara looked at Odin who was about to stand up.  
"I would stay down if I was you" Cara warned him, as Loki walked over. Loki looked down at him, and Cara couldn't tell what he would do. Cara saw how Loki clenched his fist, before he turned around and left. He looked at her, gave her a weak smile, a nod, before he disappeared in thin air._

_Cara turned towards Odin with a cold smile._   
_"You and I are going to have some fun!" She said and Wanda looked worried at her._   
_"Cara?" she asked and Cara gave her a smile._   
_"It's better if you don't know. I will transport him to his cell in Asgard later" Cara said before she disappeared too. Wanda looked at the others, and went to see if she could help them, and soon Strange and Bruce returned too, and started helping her._

* * *

Thor didn't know what Cara did to Odin, the days she was gone, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. But when she returned with Odin, Thor once again understood how dangerous Cara could be.

* * *

 

_Thor had run to the cell, with the others, as soon as the guard said Cara and Odin was back. Thor stopped in front of Cara, where she more or less threw Odin inside the cell. Thor looked at the man he once called father. He was alive, that he could tell, but it was barely. Odin looked as bad, if not even worse, as Loki did, when they found him. And Cara did that in only three days._

_Thor looked at Cara where she was standing in a red leather suit, her hair in a braid and with a weapon he had never seen before. And when he looked back at his father, he understood why her suit was red, it didn't show the blood._  
_"What did you do to him?" Steve asked and Cara turned her blue eyes towards him._  
 _"Nothing more than he deserves" Cara answered, and she could tell that Steve didn't like that answer._  
 _"Torture is never right" Steve said._  
 _"Normally I would agree with you, but not in this case" Cara said._  
 _"Is this case justice instead?" Steve asked and Cara smiled._  
 _"Far from it. I wouldn't call this justice either. This is just for me, for selfish reasons" she said as she closed the door._

" _It almost seems like a miracle that he is alive" Tony said when he looked at Odin._  
_"This isn't my first time" Cara only said._  
 _"I can tell, by the clothes, and…the weapon, I guess. What is it?" Tony asked and touched it before Cara had the time to tell him no. And at once Tony felt pain, more pain then he ever had felt before. He felt like his body was on fire, and all his bone was about to break._  
 _"Tony let go" Cara said and grabbed the weapon and pulled it towards her._

_"What the hell is that?" Tony asked when he caught his breath._   
_"It's a Agiel, a weapon you get when you become a Mord-Sith" Cara said "And I could have told you not to touch it!"_   
_"You use that on people? Do you even know how much pain it causes?" Tony asked and Cara looked at him with a calm look._   
_"I know. Because I feel the same pain when I am holding it, and people have used it on me, teaching me to become a Mord-Sith" Cara just said, before she let go of the Agiel._   
_"Why does that even exist?" Tony asked._   
_"Different worlds" Cara only answered. "Where is Loki?"_

_"He is in the garden with his children" Thor said and Cara nodded._   
_"You are going like that?" Steve asked and at those words Cara laughed a warm laugh, and Thor felt like she was back to herself._   
_"No silly, I am going to change first" She said before she left. Thor looked after her when she left._

_"I think she took it to far" Steve said and looked at Odin._   
_"I understand her. After everything Odin did to Loki, and her, when he sent Abjorn after them" Clint said._   
_"And Odin tried to rape Loki the day we caught him" Wanda said and Thor looked at Odin._   
_"To be honest I wish I could do what she did." Thor said and the other looked at him. "I say that I would do anything to protect the ones I love, but I could never do that"_   
_"Be glad for that! No sane person should" Steve said and Thor looked at him._   
_"If it helps keep your family safe, it's a good thing" Thor said._

_They all turned towards Odin when he coughed._   
_"I will kill her" he whispered "And fuck her dead body"_   
_The others looked at him, with cold eyes, before they left him in the cold cell._   
_"Well I wouldn't blame Cara if she killed him" Tony said when they left the cell._   
_"I did, and brought him back. That's something you get good as a Mord-Sith" Cara said with a smile and a laugh when she passed them, before she was about to get out to the garden._   
_"What the hell is a Mord-Sith?" Tony asked and Cara smiled towards him._   
_"It's the elite guards of Lord Rahl. They get kidnapped as children, then they torture them, until they break them. Then they torture their mother until she breaks, and you break even more. And finally they get you to kill your own father. My training was a bit different, I was older when Darken Rahl took me. So he forced me to kill my friends instead, and he raped me." She said with a smile "That thought me a lot. But hey everything went well, Richard saved us, and set us free. So everything went well. Anyway, I need to find Loki"_

_"She said that with a smile" Bruce said when Cara had left. The others felt uncomfortable, hearing her say that._   
_"Sometimes I wonder if she really is alright" Thor said._   
_"I am starting to wonder that too" Steve said and the others looked at him but he didn't say anything more._   
_"Well at least that explains a bit more how she could deal with the things with Abjorn, they thought her." Tony said a bit sad._   
_"At least she can understand Loki" Clint said and the others nodded._   
_"Let's found mother and tell her that Odin is back, and that we can start preparing the trial"_

* * *

 And now they were here. Odin had gotten better after Cara's treatment, and what Loki had done to him, didn't come close. Thor actually was a bit disappointed that Loki didn't do more damage, after everything Odin put him through. And with those thoughts he actually surprised himself. He was surprised how much Odin force him to change and rethink his value.

"Odin, former god and all father, you stand accuse, here today, for the crime you committed towards Loki, prince of Asgard and his family. For plotting to kill me, Frigga, Queen of Asgard, and Thor, prince of Asgard. What do you say?" Frigga asked.  
"Burn in hell whore! You and Thor betrayed us all, for the lies coming from Loki!" Odin said and the people in the court started to mumble. "Are anyone of you going to believe what you heard?"  
"You haven't answered to the accusation" Frigga spoke with a calm voice.  
"Not guilty!" Odin said and smiled towards Frigga. "All I did was protecting this country, from a man that threatened to destroy a whole planet. And killed some of our men to escape!"

"It makes a nice story, doesn't it  _father_ " Loki said as he walked through the doors, with Cara next to him. "It has always been easy for you to blame me for everything that went wrong. And it was even easier when I played right into your trap, helping you with that plan"  
"You have always been a good liar, Loki. But you have never been good at standing up for your wrongs" Odin said in a cold voice.  
"I have learn to stand up for my wrongs, all of them. Maybe I should thank you for that, but I think I need to thank my family for that, and you are far from a part of it" Loki said as he walked up to the others, Frigga gave him a small smile and Thor hugged him. Cara just stood next to Loki, without saying anything.

"So this is how it's going to be? You take his word over mine, without any evidence…" Odin started and the crowd started to get upset.  
"We have proof" Frigga said and nodded towards the guards, and they opened the door, bringing in Fandral, Fury and Amora. Odin looked at them, before he smiled.  
"Is that proof? How do we know if they speak the truth?" Odin asked and the crowd wanted to know that too.  
"The same way we always have known. They talk, the all father, or in this case all mother judge. Just like the laws says, the law you created" Frigga said to Odin, who looked pail. "Bring further the first prisoner"

* * *

 "I got access, to Loki whenever I wanted, thanks to Odin. I could do what I felt like doing to him" Fandral almost whispered the words, looking down. He knew what would happen to him after he said this things, but he also knew that if he didn't, it would get worse. Frigga had promised him a fear and painless death if he confessed. And Fandral took that over what Loki and especially Cara would do to him. "And I did what I felt like doing. I will spare you the details, for your sake and for Loki's sake"

Fandral tried to look at Loki, but Loki was looking out of the window, like he didn't want to hear what Fandral had to say. Cara understood him, Loki really didn't want to be here, he didn't want people to know about what happened. But Cara knew that Loki did it for his children, so they would be safe. So she took his hand, to show him that she was there no matter what, before she gave Fandral a cold look, and the other man turned away.

"Why did you use Loki?" Frigga asked.  
"Why? Because I have always loved him! And I have always wanted him. He teased me for years! And when Odin gave me the opportunity, I took it. I can't describe how good it felt to take him the first…" Fandral stopped when he saw Thor's and Cara's angry looks.  
"Thor" Frigga only said when her oldest took a step towards Fandral, and Thor stopped.  
"You never thought that it was wrong?" Frigga asked.  
"I did, but Odin told me it was alright, and I followed my king" Fandral said and Frigga nodded.  
"Remove him" she said and the guards took him away, and brought forward Amora.

"I will never confess!" she screamed and everyone looked at her. Screaming that made her look more guilty.  
"What made you say that?" Frigga asked.  
"I didn't do anything wrong! I have nothing to confess!" Amora said. "I didn't even know he was alive, until I met him on earth, and she captured me!"  
Cara looked at Amora with a calm face when she pointed at her.  
"Even if you hadn't known anything about Loki, I would have captured you for trying to kill Jane" Cara said and Amora looked at her.  
"That I am guilty of, but that's not why I am at trial" Amora said and Cara looked at her.  
"No you are at trail for what you did to my brother" Thor said and Amora looked at him with big eyes.  
"I did it for us! He said we could be together if I killed Jane, and helped him with…" Amora stopped herself, but people understood what she was about to say.  
"Bring out the last prisoner" Frigga said.

Fury looked at all of them, without saying a word.  
"You are a mortal, and we have given you the chance of a fair trial. You were brought behind the light; you didn't know better. We understand why you thought the lies coming from Odin seemed like the truth. But you have refused to admit anything, this is your last chance to do so. And then return to earth, unharmed." Frigga said, but Fury didn't say anything. They all looked at him, waiting for a reaction, but none come. Frigga almost sighed, she didn't find pleasure on punish Fury, but he gave her no choice.  
"Take him away" Frigga said, and Odin looked at them all.

"Is this all you got? This proves nothing. You have no evidence!" Odin shouted and the crowd seemed unsure.  
"You want proof, Odin?" Cara asked and took a step down the staircase.  
"Cara?" Loki asked, she could hear the worry in his voice.  
"Don't look Loki" She said with a sweet smile, before she turned to Odin again. "Your biggest mistake was sending Abjorn after us. You thought he would kill us, and everything would work out well"

Odin looked at her, actually a bit unsure and she smiled.  
"You see, my magic may not be able to show other people's memories, but I can show everyone my memories. And unfortunately for you, Abjorn liked to talk, and he is not the only one" Cara said as she brought her hand to her temples, and a white light was showing. She brought the memory to her hand before she put it up, like a hologram.  
"You may not like this Odin, but I will enjoy this" she said as the memory started playing, and she started with Fandral's confession, then Amora's, and the talk with Fury, before she got to Asbjorn.

* * *

 

 _"Isn't this to sweet. The lover's final moment" Abjorn said and Cara turned around to face him. Loki didn't move, he didn't do anything._ _  
_ _"What do you think Odin will do to you when he gets you back Loki?" Abjorn asked, and at those words Cara saw how Loki flinched._ _  
_ _"He will not get him back" Cara answered and Abjorn looked at her and laughed._ _  
_ _"I don't know what fantasy you are living in lady, but he will get him back" Abjorn said and stepped closer to her. "But you, I can keep for myself…"_

"… _You see" Abjorn started between his panting. "Odin has gotten bored"_ _  
__As soon as he mentioned Odin's name, Cara got cold. She looked over towards Loki, who seemed empty instead._ _  
__"He thought it was funny when I said that I had got a hold of you. Surprised to hear that you were here. But he said I could have my fun for a while, and I have. But not Odin is bored. So he wants Loki back" Abjorn said and leaned forward, and whispered in his ears. "But you see, he wants you dead. He wants to break Loki again. And killing you would be perfect. It's a shame that I can't keep you, but order is order"_ _  
__Cara felt how saying this words made Abjorn more excited and he increased the pace._ _  
__"You have…been…so good…to me. And this…have been really fun" Abjorn said before he finished and laughed._ _  
__"But everything good comes to an end" he said and turned her over. Cara felt the pain on her back, and if she hadn't met the gold crazy eyes that wanted to kill her, she had been thinking of it more._

* * *

 

When Cara stopped the memory, after Loki killed them all, and saved her, Odin was pale. He knew that he couldn't talk himself out of that. Because his plan was to kill her, and capture Loki again, not that anything would get out. Cara smiled at Odin, a cold smile as she turned around and walked back to Loki, without a word.

The others looked at her, they were pale too. They hadn't been sure what had happened to her and Loki while they were gone. But even if Loki had told them the basic, it was worse than they could imagine. They looked worried at her, but she just smiled at them.  
"Cara…we" Steve started but she just shook her head.  
"It's in the past, so there is no meaning to think about it. And like I told you, I got thought to get through it, and trust me when I say that my master was very good when he thought me" she just said smiling, even if her voice was cold.  
"Master?" Tony asked.  
"Master or Lord Rahl" She just said before she turned towards Loki. Loki gave her a worried look and she just hugged him.  
"Thank you again, for saving me" she whispered. Even if she was used to it, and could take it, she was always grateful to the once who saved her. Loki only pulled her closer, without a word.

Frigga looked at them before she stood up. The crowd looked at Odin, but this time they didn't hesitate to show what they thought. Odin had lost his face. Because even if few of them had liked Loki, they didn't think he deserved what Odin and the others had done to him. They had thought of Odin as a strict, but fair king. And now they saw that wasn't the case. That he had fooled them, that he had used Loki for his own pleasure, and used them and made them dance after his pipe, they didn't want anything to do with him.

"Odin, former all Father, I will sentence you to spend the rest of your life in prison" Frigga started and Odin looked at her. "You will have no contact with anyone, and you will live your last years alone, and forgotten"  
"No one can forget a king!" Odin said.  
"You can forget anyone, king, god, anyone." Cara said.  
"History will remember!" Odin told her and she smiled.  
"The one with the power, decides the history, and a name can easily be removed" Cara said and Odin didn't know what to answer.  
"Remove him" Frigga said and the guards dragged Odin out of court.

"Loki" Frigga said and looked at her youngest, just like everyone else did. Loki who had looked at Odin, turned towards his mother. "From this day you will be pardoned from all the crimes you have been sentence for. All that has been claimed be your doing, will be forgotten and you will be a free man"  
"Thank you mother" Loki said and smiled towards her. Frigga smiled towards her youngest and gave him a nod. She wanted to hug him, but in this moment, she needed to act like all mother.  
"From this day you will be acknowledged as a true prince of Asgard" She said. "Let that be known by everyone. And let us celebrate your homecoming with a feast"  
"It pleases me to hear those words, mother. But if it would be the same to you, I only wishes to go home" Loki said.  
"Home?" Frigga asked a bit surprised and Loki nodded.  
"Home" He said and looked at the avengers "As if it's alright with you?"  
"Like we would ever kick you out" Tony said and gave him a big smile, and a pat on the back. Cara looked at them before she laughed.  
"I remember a time when you would" She said and Tony gave her a look.  
"I think you are imagine things. Maybe you should check your memory!" Tony said and Cara just rolled her eyes.

"I would check your mind if I was you Anthony, and remember what my fiancé can do! And what I can do. Must say you looked rather dashing in donkey ears" Loki said and took Cara's hand.  
"Yeah, fine, I admit I was wrong" Tony said, remembering what Cara and Loki could do.  
"You are welcome to stay forever!" Steve said and the others laughed.  
"Then let's go home" Clint said and looked at the others.

"Thank you for everything" Frigga said to the Avengers who smiled towards her. "You gave both of my sons a second home"  
"Our pleasure my queen" Tony said and bowed.  
"We will see each other soon" Thor said and Frigga smiled.  
"I hope so, I have a second wedding to attend to" Frigga said and Loki smiled towards her.  
"I am looking forward to see you there" Loki said and Cara nodded.  
"Take care of each other" Frigga said and looked at the people around them, before she sighed and broke her own words and hugged them all.  
"So are we going home now?" Clint asked, which lead to Natasha and Cara hitting him, as they walked down the hallway, with people staring at them, before Strange brought them all back to the tower.


	33. The Wedding

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And the chapter is finally done! Damn it took some time, but it's the longest I have ever written. But here you have the ending, before the epilogue. And I really, really hope you like it. I am so happy with this chapter!
> 
> So you have a tiny, tiny, tiny part with Odin, and yeah that is for later (it's going to be a sequel, more abut that in the next chapter).  
> Then you have the wedding, hope you like it. Still no good with writing them, but I don't have so big experience with them.
> 
> And we will finally see this game from Loki's perspective. Hope you like it.
> 
> Then we have the party, and the apple Cara get is from the mythology. And it has different meanings. In some story it just gives you youth, making the gods eat them from time to time, in others it give immortality, and I went with that.
> 
> Then we have a sex scene, and I am so bad at writing them. How awful it may sound, I am better at writing raping scens, but then their is very little feelings involved. But I hope you like it, and yeah warning on that.
> 
> Think that's all. Thank you for reading.
> 
> Enjoy!

* * *

Loki was staring down at the broken man in front of him. Odin seemed to have aged at least hundred years, he was weak, sick and looked like he could drop dead any moment, expect for the eyes. Odin's eyes were as lively as always. They were cold and full of hate.

"Here to brag?" Odin said and Loki almost smiled, he wasn't there to brag, but Odin could believe that if he wanted.  
"I wanted to see you, one last time, before I forget you for good" Loki answered him and stepped closer to the cage. Still a bit cautious.  
"You will never forget me boy!" Odin said and this time Loki actually smiled.  
"If it makes you happier to believe that" Loki said. "But I have my life back, my family by my side, friends and I am going to marry a woman I really love"  
"You know nothing about love!" Odin said and Loki laughed, something that surprised Odin.  
"I may be far from an expert at it, but I am learning, but not thanks to you." Loki said and then smiled again. "But I should actually thank you. Because without everything you did to me, I would never have turned my life around. So thank you  _father_ , for showing me what life really is about"

Odin looked angrier than ever, to hear his son thank him.  
"Everything will disappear!" Odin shouted as Loki was about to leave.  
"More empty threats?" Loki asked and Odin smiled coldly.  
"They will come for her!" Odin said and Loki got cold at ones.  
"Who?" He asked, fearing for Cara's life at ones.  
"I can't tell you, it will ruin the surprise. But you just remember that it's all just a fantasy. And when she lies bloody in your arms, I will sit here laughing!" Odin said and Loki felt the anger inside of him.  
"You are lying" Loki said in a cold voice.  
"If you believe me or not, doesn't matter, it will happen" Odin said.  
"Who are they, when will they come?" Loki said, but Odin just smiled.  
"Who knows, maybe they are there already" Odin said and Loki just left at ones. He didn't want to believe Odin.

He knew that Odin was trying to scare him, but he couldn't not be sure that it wasn't truth. He couldn't lose Cara again; he didn't know what he would do without her. It scared him to death. And it was even worse when he didn't know who would come after her. Loki did know that Cara had a lot of enemies, but he didn't know much about them. Who knows what they could do to her? He didn't want to think about it.

* * *

Loki left Asgard as fast as he could, he had planned to see his mother, but he had to do that another time. He was soon back in New York and he rushed down from the roof, and he almost ran into Tony on his way to Cara.  
"He Reindeer games, what's wrong?" Tony asked but Loki didn't answer him, he just walked past him, which made Tony worry and walk after.

Loki pushed up the door, harder than he had thought, but he didn't reflect about it. He had almost expected her to be gone, or being attacked. So when she was sitting in the chair, reading like she had when he left, he was relieved. He walked over to her, hugging her.  
"Loki are you alright?" she asked, a bit worried and all he could do was nod as he pulled her closer.

Cara looked at Tony, who just shrugged his shoulders, he didn't know more.  
"Did something happen?" Cara asked and Loki heard how worried she was, and he took a step back.  
"No, I just got worried" he said, it may have been the worst lie he ever had told, even Tony would understand that it was a lie.  
"Yeah, and I am Santa Clause" Tony said and Loki turned towards him.  
"Nice to meet you, Santa Clause" Loki said and Tony was about to say something when Loki turned towards Cara, who had taken his hand.  
"You don't need to say anything, just know that I am here when you feel like it" She said, stood up and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Loki looked at her, often wondering how she could be so good to him. She never demanded anything of him. She just said the right things. Loki could almost sigh, if she had demanded to know, he hadn't said anything, but when she did like this, he wanted to tell her everything. Sometimes he thought that she actually used magic on him, but then he smiled, knowing that she didn't need to. All she needed to do was be by her side, and he would do anything for her.

"Odin just scared me. Saying people was after you" Loki said and Cara smiled towards him.  
"People are always after me, that isn't something new" She said in a calm voice. "But don't worry, he is just trying to scare you"  
"Yeah Loki, he is just a piece of shit, don't pay any attention to anything he says" Tony said, and gave him a smile. Tony knew how scared Loki was of losing Cara, but he didn't want Odin to take advantage of it, scaring his friend.  
"Easier said than done, especially after…" Loki stopped, not wanting Cara to remember their time with Abjorn. But she smiled towards him.  
"I know it isn't easy, but I am safe, and well if something happens, I know where you are" She said and Loki gave her a look. Yes, she knew where he was, but what if she wouldn't be able to reach him? What if he failed to protect her again? "Don't let his words get to you, he can't hurt us anymore. And if something happens again, we deal with that then. No need to live in fear, especially not when we get married tomorrow"

Loki looked at her, smiling, she could always calm him down. He kissed her forehead and nodded.  
"You are right" he said without thinking, knowing what she would answer.  
"I am always right" she said and Tony laughed.  
"Get used to it. Ones you get married, you will never be right again" Tony said and Loki gave him a look.  
"You aren't married yet Anthony, and even if you aren't married, you are never right" Loki said and Cara laughed.  
"And you will be right, even if you are married, if you are right" Cara just said and Loki looked at her, and almost surprised himself, when he was with her, he didn't care if he was right or not. Compared to anyone else. He was surprised how different he was around her, but he knew that she was different around him to. He guessed love really changed you, and brought out the best in you.

"So let's eat some pizza and get ready for tomorrow" Tony said with a big smile.  
"As happy as you are, you can almost think you are the one getting married" Cara teased him.  
"Well it will almost be as good as it would be, if it was me" Tony said.  
"Doubtful" Loki only answered and Tony gave him a cold look.  
"Aren't we boring" Tony said.  
"No we are just telling you the truth" Cara said and Tony looked at them.  
"Well you are perfect for each other, both of you are boring, party poppers" Tony said, before he could stop himself. He looked at his friends and saw the mischief on the faces.  
"You or me?" Loki asked and Cara smiled.  
"He is all yours" she answered, and as glad Tony was to hear that, since, he never knew what Cara would do, he still had to worry about Loki. He looked at the god, before he started running. Cara laughed as Loki walked after him.

* * *

Tony sat on the floor, very unhappy that he not only had donkey ears this time, he also talked like a donkey, making no one understand him. Loki and Cara was happier then Tony would prefer, but he should also have known better then to mess with them. But at least he had got Loki to forget about Odin.

"Uncle Tony looks funny" Narfi said when he sat next to him, giving him some pizza.  
"I want donkey ears too" Váli said and looked at Loki. Loki looked at his son with a puzzle look, he knew that the boy could turn into an animal himself, but he guessed it was funnier if he did it. Loki just shrugged his shoulders and gave his son what he wanted, with a smile.  
"See, now you aren't alone anymore, uncle Tony" Váli said and Tony smiled towards the boy, giving him a hug. Loki's sons had the biggest heart.  
"I want a pair too!" Narfi said and Loki just laughed and gave his other son a pair of ears. "Thank you"  
Loki just needed towards his son. He looked at his friends, who was like his family, and he looked at his actually family. He was really happy, happier then he thought he could ever be. He looked at Cara who was leaning against him, as they watched a movie, he had no idea what it was about, but it wasn't important to him. He just enjoyed the moment, as he looked forward to the tomorrow.

* * *

Loki had barely gotten any sleep during the night. He couldn't remember when he had been this nervous the last time. He had actually preferred to go up against Odin again. He wondered if Cara was this nervous, and he wished he could talk to her. But for some reason he had let the others convince him, not to see Cara until the wedding. It was some tradition on earth, and he was wondering why on earth he agreed to that. But Cara had laughed and just shrugged her shoulders, wanting to make the others happy, and he had agreed. Something he regretted now. He needed to calm down, and Thor, Clint and Tony who was sleeping in his room, didn't help, since they were sleeping. Loki looked at them, he had enough, they needed to wake up, he needed their help. Loki looked at his pillows and he took them, throwing them hard at the others, who wake up, surprised.

"What's going on?" Clint asked sleepy.  
"Are we under attack?" Tony asked.  
"More sleep!" Thor mumbled and Loki looked at all of them.  
"No! Go up!" Loki said and the others looked at him and then smiled.  
"Nervous?" Thor asked when he saw his brother.  
"No" Loki lied and Thor laughed and got up.  
"Well for being the God of lies, that was a bad lie, brother" Thor said and Loki gave him an angry look. "But it's alright to be nervous"

"You think Cara is nervous?" Loki asked and Thor looked at the others.  
"Sure" He said and Loki gave him a look.  
"You are an even worse liar" Loki answered and Thor laughed again.  
"Well it's just that she rarely seems to become nervous. But she may be today. It's not every day you get to marry a god" Thor said, teasing him.  
"Are you sure about that? I mean with everything she does…" Clint started when Tony throw a pillow at him.  
"Why are you even here?" Tony asked and Loki smiled.  
"Thank you Tony" he answered and Tony nodded.  
"So shall we start getting ready? We can't be late" Tony said and Loki looked at the clock.  
"We have around fifteen hours, I don't think it's possible for us to be late" Loki said.  
"Why did you even wake us this early?" Clint complained.  
"To throw pillows at you!" Loki said and throw another pillow at Clint and the others laughed.  
"Well how about waking up the twins and then eat breakfast, let's start there" Thor said and Loki was a bit surprised, hearing his brother being the voice of reason. But Loki guessed that he really was his big brother today. Here to help him, like any brother would.  
"That sounds good" Loki said.  
"Good, then you stay here and we will get the things, so you don't see Cara until the wedding" Thor said and Loki looked at Thor, begging him to stay. "You two go, I will stay here"

* * *

"Good morning" Tony said when he and Clint walked into the kitchen, seeing the women there.  
"Morning" Natasha said and Tony looked at them.  
"I made breakfast for you, it's on the counter. The twins are up, and have eaten, they should be at Loki's room soon" Cara said and Clint looked at her.  
"It's your wedding day, relax" Clint said and Cara smiled.  
"I am relaxed, but I do not trust you to make breakfast, or keep the twins in check, so I helped you a bit" she said while she drank her tea.  
"Well thank you" Tony said and she nodded.  
"And tell Loki that it's okay to be nervous. And he do not need to worry, I will be waiting for him, forever if that's what he need, because I love him" she said and Tony looked surprised at her.  
"How did you know?" he asked and Cara laughed.  
"Well it's not my first wedding, I know Loki, and I am nervous too, but I know that Loki loves me, and that keeps me calm" She said and Tony nodded.  
"She actually got nervous" Clint said as he returned from the kitchen with the food.  
"If you wasn't caring the food, I would hit you" Natasha said and Clint looked at her before he disappeared.  
"Tony?" Cara asked and Tony turned towards her and nodded.  
"Be gentle with him. And if anything goes wrong, call me" she said and Tony nodded, promising himself that he would do anything he could, so they didn't need to call Cara.

* * *

Tony almost regret the promise. The twins were harder to handle then he thought, even with Loki there. They were so excited and they kept asking millions of questions. Then he had to handle Clint, who just said stupid things all the times. Fine Tony also admitted he had fun, hitting the other man, but sometimes he got irritated. And Thor who tried to help Loki, he really tried and for most time he managed, but sometimes the big oaf got to excited and Loki got nervous again. And Tony, he tried to make everything work, he felt like he needed to go on a holiday after this. But seeing Loki getting ready and smiling every time Tony reminded him of Cara's word, made it worth it.

"Is this acceptable?" Loki asked when he walked out from the closet, dressed in a black suit, with a green tie and shirt.  
"Well if she says don't want to fuck you in that, something is wrong with her! I would say yes to you in that" Tony asked and Loki gave him a look.  
"Please don't ask me!" Loki said "And I have had enough of guys for a couple of thousand years"  
"Guess I missed my chance?" Tony said with a joke and Loki smiled, actually feeling a bit better, that he could joke about it.  
"You did, but if you had been earlier, who knows what would have happen Tony" Loki said with a teasing voice and Tony actually looked a bit chocked at him. "And I am a god in the bed too!"

Tony stared at him for a moment before he smiled.  
"Well at least I know that Cara will have a good night" he said.  
"The best" Loki only said and gave him a weak smile. He was actually a bit nervous about that, after everything that happened him and her.  
"Oh don't worry about that, I am sure that she will take care of you" Tony said with a teasing voice, that made Loki smile.  
"She always does, I just don't want to let her down. It's not our first time, but after everything, I don't know" Loki said.

"Relax brother, she will not mind" Thor said and Loki looked at him. "She isn't like that, so don't worry"  
"I know that. I just want to give her what she deserve" Loki said, remembering how it used to be.  
"You love her, that's all that matters, and she cares about" Clint said.  
"Hate to agree with him, but he is right" Tony said. "So just do what feels right, I am sure she knows what to do, if you are worried"  
Those words made Loki laugh and Tony looked at him.  
"Oh she does, she knows more than well what she is doing" Loki said.  
"See, so now when I know that both of you are good, can you tell me what it is like?" Tony said and Loki smirked at him.  
"I don't want to know!" Thor said and Loki laughed, just as the twins got back, dressed.

"You look so cool father" Narfi said and Loki smiled.  
"So it's really acceptable? It's not too simple?" Loki asked a bit unsure and the others smiled towards him.  
"It's perfect, and if you are thinking you should wear something that makes you look like a prince or something, don't worry, this is good" Tony said.  
"He is right. And Cara isn't marrying you because of your title. She marries you, because she loves you, Loki. You, not the titles or the power, just you because you are you!" Thor said and Loki nodded.  
"You are going to look good next to mother. She is really beautiful" Váli said and Loki smiled.  
"She always is" he said and looked at the others.

"Is everything ready?" Loki asked and the others nodded.  
"Steve said that he is ready whenever you guys are" Clint said and Loki nodded, he took the twins hands and they started walking towards the roof. He was still nervous, but he tried not to show it. Because he needed to feel calm when he walked out. He felt like he would runaway otherwise.  
"Everything is going to go well, father" Narfi said when they stopped at the door to the roof. Loki looked at his children with a smile.  
"I love you" he said and they hugged him.  
"We love you" the twins said and Loki hugged them back.  
"Wait for Cara here" he said and they nodded and Loki walked out on the roof with the other three beside him. Most of the guests was already there.

* * *

Frigga was sitting in the front with Hel next to her. Jörmungandr had shrink down, and was in Hel's lap. Fenrir was at the size of a normal dog, sitting next to Frigga and Sleipnir was lying on the ground in front of them. Loki smiled at them, glad that Hel, his mother and Frigga had found some magic that allowed them to be here. Behind them sat Thor's friend and children, together with some of the people that fought with them in Asgard. On the other side sat Strange, Wanda, Peter and some of the other people that helped them fight.

Loki felt a bit bad that Cara didn't have any family here. Loki knew that her family was dead, but he had told her that she could invite people from the other worlds if she wanted. She had thanked him, but told him that she preferred not to mix the worlds. It wasn't like Loki understood her, but he still felt a bit bad that none of her friends were here.

"Are you nervous Loki?" Steve asked when they walked up to him, where he was standing in the front. Loki nodded, but he smiled.  
"I am, but it's better than it was this morning" He admitted and the other three nodded and Steve smiled.  
"Everything will go well" Steve said and Loki nodded again and looked as the last guests arrived.  
"We are ready" Peggy said as she nodded to the others before she disappeared again. They music started and as it did Loki looked up when he felt something cold land on his forehead, it had starting snowing, and he smiled. He knew that Cara loved snow, and he was glad that it snowed.

Soon the twins walked out, holding each bouquet of flowers, green roses and Loki smiled towards his sons, who looked so proud as they walked up to them. The twins were smiling the biggest smile, and when they stopped in front of them, they handed them all a rose and Loki smiled as he took it. And turned towards the aisle as Natasha, Jane, Pepper and Peggy walked down, all in green.  
"I hope you are ready" Thor whispered to him, and Loki was about to hit him when Cara walked out. Bruce was walking next to her, being kind enough to give her away. Not that she needed it, but Cara had loved the gesture.

Loki looked at her as she walked down the aisle, dressed in a simple white, long dress dress. It was covering her chest, left the shoulders bare, as it was connected in the neck. She had tied a green belt around the waist, and she had kept the hair simple. It was styled in waves, with a simple veil at the back. But even if it was simple, she looked like a queen, and she wore it like a queen. The snow landed in her hair, and on her skin and Loki was wondering if she was freezing, but it didn't look like it.

Bruce stopped in front of him and gave him her hand and Loki took it. He just stared at her, he could do nothing else, and she smiled back at him. And in the second he had her hand in his, everything else disappeared, all the worry, everything that had happened to him before, everyone else in the world. He even forgot to listen to Steve, who had to actually tap him on the shoulder, which made him jump.

"I know she is beautiful Loki, but for this to work you need to listen to me, not get lost in thoughts" Steve said, very kindly.  
"Can you blame me?" Loki asked, which made the guests laugh and Cara gave him a sweet smile.  
"I cannot blame you" Steve said and Loki gave him a look. "I didn't mean it like that"  
Loki smiled a teasing smile towards him.  
"He totally got you!" Tony said and laughed.  
"Thank you for your support, Tony" Steve said and Tony was about to answer something when Cara spoke.  
"Boys" she said and they looked at her.  
"Yes mother" Tony said, but even Steve, which made the others laugh again and Cara smiled towards them.

"As I was saying" Steve started and this time Loki listened. "We have gathered here today to unite Loki and Cara. The road here has been long, and difficult, but they got through it together. It has been a special kind of journey, a journey, we only had the privilege to be a part at, towards the end. But a journey we all are glad we took. Not only because we got to know the real Loki, something that wouldn't have been possible without Cara here. She thought us to open our eyes, and she helped us all, understand things we hadn't without her. And you shall all known that it hasn't been easy on her, trying to manage helping Loki, and to control us. But as you heard, she managed it pretty well"  
The guests laughed again and Loki smiled towards Cara, being forever thankful for what she has done for him.

"You have written your own wows" Steve said and the both nodded. And Cara looked at Loki, only him.

"When I met you a few years ago, I had no plan on getting to know you, or even stay in your world. I was hunted and I ended up in Asgard by coincident, and I planned to leave as soon as I had rested. I never planned for you to be a part of my life, dragging you into that mess" She said with a smile and Loki squeezed her hand. "But that plan didn't work out. Instead I found a friend I never intended to find, but I am glad I did. And as I become your friend, all I wanted to do was show you what it meant to have a friend. Wanting to take away the loneliness. But that was all I planned to do. I never planned to fall in love with you, I never planned to find a place I could call home, or to find someone that wanted to protect me, help me and love me without getting anything in return."

Cara took a short break, looking at him, and Loki saw only her.

"But you gave me all that, you gave me something I had been missing for a long time, you gave me my life back. When you protected me from my father I know that we would have longer time together then we had. But things happened, things I could never predict. Seeing you let go, leaving me behind, it almost destroyed me. I had lost people before, but it had been a long time since I wasn't prepared for it. With you I wasn't. I couldn't understand it back then; it was so many pieces of the puzzle that I didn't have. But I had to keep going, and I did, you become a happy memory that I thought of, after the pain of losing you become less. And when your brother, more or less kidnapped me to Asgard" Cara said and looked at Thor, who just smiled happily. "And then told me you were alive, I first didn't believe it, and when he told me how he had found you, my heart broke. I couldn't believe it. Who would have done something like that. I still hadn't all the pieces, but at that moment I didn't care, I just wanted to help you. So without a doubt I agreed to help you."

Cara took another paus, taking a deep breath, before she continued.  
"They all thought I was collected, so sure of that everything would be fine, knowing it all. But they are wrong. I was scared every moment. I was scared of failing you, I was scared that I wouldn't be able to help you, and to lose you again. But I had to keep trying, not wanting you to suffer, wanting to give you, your life back, just like you did with me. And every time you took a step in right direction, I was so happy. And every time something happened, that made you take a step back, I was just happy that it wasn't two steps. And I didn't mind, I gave you the time you needed, hoping you would get better. And with every word you said to me, every time you took my hand or kissed me, I started to hope that you would come back to me. The first time you said you loved me again, I admit, I actually wanted to do more than kiss you" She said with a smile and Loki looked at her, raising an eyebrow, but smiling towards her. "And when you asked me to marry you, I got scared, knowing what had happened the times I got married before. But I was also so happy, knowing that you loved me that much, and all the fear disappeared, knowing that I wanted to marry you, even after everything that happened, I never had any doubt of marrying you, if I could. Knowing that I would do anything to keep you safe, hoping I could do that before you tried doing the same. But we are both standing here, alive, and I am grateful for that. I am grateful to get the chance of being your wife, and to love you forever. A chance to start a new life with you, and the twins. I promise to be by your side forever, protect and support you"

Cara stopped, and Loki looked a bit worried at her, when she was crying.  
"Sorry" she said and Loki whipped her tears away and she laughed between the tears. "I love you"  
Loki smiled towards her, and he wanted nothing else then kiss her right away, and he probably had if Steve hadn't spoken.  
"Loki, you have your wove too?" Steve asked a bit shaky on the voice. Loki looked at him, gave him a nod, before he turned towards Cara.

"When I met you I was still young, and I had no clue about life, but I thought I had. I thought I knew everything, I thought that I knew what I wanted, what I deserved and what life was. But I was so wrong, oh so wrong. I knew nothing, I really didn't. I realised that when I got to know you. You are younger than me, sure it's only a hundred years, but I was so frustrated that you knew more than me. But that soon passed, learning that you more than gladly shared all your knowledge with me. You thought me more than I had learned from any books. But you thought me more than facts, you thought me what It met to have a friend. A real friend, someone that didn't care about my titles, the power or wanted to use me. You become my friend without wanting anything. That was new for me, I had never had that before, and for you who seemed to know all, and have all, I thought you would taunt me. But you did no such thing. You have always been patient with me, and I am forever thankful for that. Because with you at my side I learned not only what friendship is, but also that I didn't needed to be lonely. You ignored what everyone said and thought about me, and I am grateful for that, because if you hadn't, I wouldn't stand here today" Loki said and looked at Cara, who only smiled and he continued. "Because as you thought me what friendship was, you also thought me about something else, something I thought I knew. I thought I had been in love before, I thought I knew what it meant, but I was wrong, again. Just like you, I didn't plan on falling in love with you, but I did. More than I thought was possible. And I am sure that I acted like a lost puppy, compared to you, who seemed to know it all. But you never said anything, you just took my hand, and showed me what love really was, as cliché it may sound"

Loki took take a deep breath, reminding himself from staying calm, talking so Cara could understand him. Because he felt like he just wanted to say everything as fast as he could, get it over so he could kiss her.  
"But as I got to know you more, I learned about the things you had gone through, and I become angry. I couldn't understand how someone could do that to you, especially since, me myself didn't know what was happening to me, back then. But I swore to protect you, and to never hurt you, something I broke. Sure I protected you from your father, but I also left you soon after that. Seeing your face as I let go, made me hate myself more than I thought was possible. What ever happened to me after I let go, couldn't compare to seeing your sad face. It was all I could remember, and when I was promised earth, I wanted to take it, not only to hurt Thor, but to give you a safe home. But I couldn't find you on earth and I was sure that you had moved on, and I forced myself to do the same. Remembering that I had hurt you, and that if you weren't here, I had no right to search for you. But I could never forget you, and after things happened, I was hoping that you would save me, as you had once before. I knew that I hadn't the right to hope that long before Odin or any of the other ones said it, but I still hoped. And even if they used it against me, I tried to stay strong and keep hoping"

Loki took another paus, trying to not let the memories take control. Cara placed her hand on his cheek and he leaned into the touch. And as always she waited for him to become ready.  
"So…So when you showed up in the cell, I actually got scared instead. I didn't know what kind of trick it was. Seeing other people, I trusted turn against me, I thought you had to. I gave you more than enough reasons. So when you brought me here, I just waited for what you would do. Not daring to trust you, even if you were the person I wanted to see and trust the most. But nothing happened, whatever I did, you didn't betray me. You didn't hurt me, not even when I hurt you. I could see it in your eyes, I could see how hurt you seemed to be, but I thought it was another trick. But when you protected me from Fandral, I started to trust you, a little bit. Maybe I even thought that I rather have you hurt me, then him. But it never come, all you did was for me. You did so much for me, and I wanted to come back for you. I wanted to be someone that deserved to be next to you, someone that deserved to love you. But as I got better, you told me not to rush anything, and you never expected me to act or feel in a certain way. I was so surprised, that you still didn't expect anything of me. And ones again I learned how wrong I was, I thought I learned what love was, the first time, but ones again I was wrong. What you have done for me this past year is what love really is. And even if you will say that you didn't do it because you expected something back, I will for the rest of our life show you how much you mean to me. I will protect you, I will be your light, whenever you need it. I will try to make you happy every day. And I promise that I will love you forever" Loki said, noticing that he also was crying, and Cara whipped away his tears, smiling at him, trying to stop her own tears.

"Steve, would you please continue, before both of us breaks down in tears completely" Cara whispered to Steve, who was just staring at them, trying not to cry himself.  
"Right" he said and looked at them. "Can we have the rings?"  
Thor handled Loki his ring, and Natasha gave Cara hers.  
"Cara, repeat after me" Steve said and she nodded. "I, Cara Riddle, take you, Loki Friggadaughter…"  
Cara looked at Loki in surprise for a second, and Loki smiled, he hadn't told her about the change, wanting it to be a surprise. And Cara smiled towards him.  
"I, Cara Riddle, take you, Loki Friggadaughter" Cara took a paus, before she continued to repeat what Steve said "I vow to love and serve you as long as we both shall live. I take you with all your faults and strengths, as I offer myself to you- with all my faults and strengths. I vow to help you when you need help, and turn to you when I need help. And with this ring, I take you to be my lawfully wedded husband, my constant friend, my partner in crime, and my love from this day forward"

Cara took the ring and put it on Loki's finger with a smile.

"Loki, say after me" Steve started and Loki looked at him, feeling a bit nervous, afraid of doing something wrong, but when he saw Cara's smile, he knew that it would be alright. "I Loki Frigga daughter, take you, Cara Riddle…"  
"I, Loki Friggadaughter, take you Cara Riddle. I vow to love and serve you as long as we both shall live. I take you with all your faults and strengths, as I offer myself to you- with all my faults and strengths. I vow to help you when you need help, and turn to you when I need help. And with this ring, I take you to be my lawfully wedded wife, my constant friend, my partner in crime, and my love from this day forward" Loki smiled towards her when he put the ring on her finger.  
"With the power invested in me, I can now, with much joy, pronounce you husband and wife" Steve said, with a smile towards them. "You may now kiss the bride"

Loki leaned forward without hesitation. He felt Cara's soft lips against his, he felt the heat and the taste of a raging storm, if it would have a taste. Loki pulled her closer, before he spinned her around, and deepened the kiss. And for a second it felt like he was drowning, before Cara put her hands on his shoulders. It was like she stopped him from drowning, and with that everything around him came back. He heard the applauds around them, Cara's laugh and the twins laughs. Loki had forgotten about them all for a second.

"Mother" the twins said and wanted to hug her, and Cara let go of him for a second. But how ridicules it may be, he felt an emptiness, but he pushed it aside, and turned towards Thor who was about to attack him with a big hug.

"You can't hug me, unless you promise not to crush me" Loki said and Thor laughed, but he took it easy, and Loki was glad for that. He had started open up to Thor and the others, but he was still a bit unsure with touching from anyone else then Cara and the twins.  
"Congratulations brother" Thor sounded.  
"You made me deaf instead" Loki said but smiled towards Thor "Thank you"  
"So Reindeer games, how does it feel to be chained forever?" Tony said without thinking "Sorry"  
"It's alright Tony" Loki said and looked at Cara, who was talking with the women "If I am changed to her for forever, I am happy"  
"Congratulations" Clint said and Loki nodded.  
"Thank you" Loki answered "And thank you for the beautiful ceremony, Steve"  
"It was my pleasure" Steve said, and he meant it. He was happy to play a part of his friend's wedding.  
"So shall we eat now?" Clint asked, making the others laugh.

* * *

"So there I was, looking at this unfamiliar woman, with Thor. Having no idea why she was here. And first I thought that Thor had saved her from a burning building or something, well until I saw Loki. And I was far from happy, demanding that he left. And Cara here, threated to kill us all. And to be honest I wasn't sure if she could, I guess I did as so many before me, I underestimated her. But soon she used magic and I, or all of us backed away, not wanting to die" Tony said, looking at them, smiling. "But even if I understood some of the danger, I still didn't want Loki in my house, none of us wanted. But Thor convinced us, not in a friendly way. But the most fascinating thing was Cara, because no matter what we did, she protected Loki. And none of us could understand why. We thought something was wrong with her, and well something is. She lived with us for a year, without complaining, or rather not even close to what anyone else would have"  
People laughed and Loki looked at Cara, who also smiled.  
"But as time went on, we started to understand how much she loved Loki, even if it took a long time. But what was more surprising was how much Loki cared about her. With her around we got to see a Loki we never seen before, and I must say that I am glad that we did. Without Cara we wouldn't have a chance to get to know Loki, and to get a new friend. And this year has been like nothing we ever could imagine, but it has been a great year. We have loved to see you grow Loki, and even if we have been so hard towards you, learned to accept us. Something that wasn't easy for you, but seeing you go from wanting to kill us all, and conquer the world, to play with the twins, or buying flowers to Cara, has been amazing. And I must say that I have never seen you so happy as you are with her, or her with you. I, we are all happy to be here today, seeing you together. And I am extra glad that I don't have to celebrate this day with donkey ears. So before we all" Tony said, looking at the other avengers" give you your gift, let's make a toast for the newly wedded" Tony said and the people in the room lifted their glasses for them.

"So, open the gift now!" Tony said, making both Loki and Cara looking at him and rolling their eyes. But Loki took the little box and looked at Cara, but she nodded for him to open it. Loki carefully opened the box, inside was five keys, and Loki looked at Tony.  
"They are for a boat, a plane, a helicopter, a car and for the tower" Tony said with a big smile.  
"Tony!" Steve said "We said the tower and a car"  
"Yes you over did it again" Clint said, but Tony ignored them.  
"And it's alright if you can't drive them, they have pilots, and you will get clas…" Tony stopped when he saw Cara's face. "You can drive them, can't you?"  
Cara laughed, a warm laugh when Tony sounded grumpy.  
"Well yes" She said.  
"How on earth?" Tony said, feeling a bit sad. He thought he would give them something they could learn together.  
"Well one of them is a car" she started and Tony nodded, giving her that one "You visited one of the worlds where I am a pirate, would be strange if I couldn't steer a boat. And I have dated a few agents, learning how to fly helicopter and a plane. Sorry"  
"I thought you could learn together, a type of adventure" Tony said.  
"We can still go together. And I can enjoy seeing Loki learn" Cara said and looked at him, almost mischievous, and Loki felt like she would enjoy it a bit too much.  
"You are right about that" Tony said with a big smile.  
"And it was fantastic presents" Cara said and smiled towards them all, and Loki did the same, and the people in the room started talking about the presents, until Thor stood up.

"So…um" Thor started and Loki looked at him, almost smiling towards him. "I am not really a speaker, unlike Loki. So don't expect too much"  
"We never do!" Tony said, and Pepper hit him in the head.  
"Anyway. I will not be long, because there is so much I could say, but then we would be here all day." Thor started "I thought I was a good brother when I was younger, and I thought I knew Loki. I thought how I should handle him and how to make him happy. I was wrong, so wrong, something Loki often told me. But no one else, so I thought I was a good brother, and that Loki just didn't understand it. And when we got older, we grew father apart, I acted like I always did towards Loki, fumbling in the dark. Still thinking Loki was the kid he ones was, that I could just lift him up and he would be happy. And as I walked around in my fantasy world, Loki got father away from me. But I still couldn't see it, not until Cara entered our life. As she did, I started, oh so slowly see another side of Loki. Or rather see the Loki he had grown up to be. And as I did, I realised that he no longer was my little baby brother, and that I didn't know him at all. I had been stuck in the past, and in my own life, not to see what happened. But Cara saw so much more than me, something I only could get glimpse one. But the little I saw, always made me smile." Thor looked at them and smiled, taking a pau.

"But just as I started to see the real Loki, everything changed. I also got to see a whole other side, a side I never thought I would see. And as I couldn't do anything Loki got swallowed by the dark, and I had no idea what to do. Because I didn't know Loki anymore. I saw how Cara tried, but the darkness was bigger than any of us know, or understood. And as Loki disappeared out from our life, for what we thought was forever, so did Cara. She threatened to kill me, if she ever saw me again, before she disappeared" Thor said and looked at her, but Cara just smiled. "So when Loki returned I thought I could handle it; I could finally be a good brother. I was so wrong; I think I did it worse. But I didn't think of calling Cara, because I wanted to prove for myself, and maybe Loki that I also could be there for him. And well we know how that went. So when I found Loki, I swallowed my pride and asked Cara for help, which I am very glad for. Because she showed up and at ones she knew what to do. And instead of me, who thought of what I could do to help Loki, how I could handle it my way. She did it Loki's way. She only thought of what he needed, and how to help him. I am sure that Loki wouldn't be here without her, because we, all of us had failed, before Loki even could start becoming himself. And I have no problem admitting this. I have no problem, saying that there is someone out there, that understands my brother in a way, no one of us could. And I am glad to see him happier then I have ever seen him, and even if Cara lives longer than normal humans, she doesn't live as long as Loki. And mother and I don't ever want to see Loki without Cara, so therefore have we, come with a gift, that humans normally don't get. But we have made an exception for Cara, after everything she has done"

Thor walked up to them, and Loki looked at his brother, wondering if he was about to give Cara what he thought he would give her. Cara looked at the small basket and Thor nodded for her to open it. Inside the basket was a golden apple, and even if Loki had guessed what it was, he was still shocked. He looked at his brother and mother, who just smiled. Loki hadn't dared to think of what would happen the day Cara died, only knowing that he wouldn't stay in the world for long. But apparently had his mother and brother thought of it. Loki turned towards Cara, who looked at the apple, not sure what it was, that she had in front of her.

"It makes you immortal" Loki said and Cara looked at him in surprise, and for ones he couldn't tell what she thought. And he understood that she was surprised, it wasn't every day you got the chance to become immortal, it was a big decision.  
"Thank you" Cara said to Thor and Frigga with a big smile.  
"It's nothing dear" Frigga said and Thor nodded. And even if his family thought that Cara got really happy, Loki could feel how unsure she was. He saw how she put the basket next to her, and he would talk with her later, not wanting to push her. He would love to spend forever with her, literally, but he didn't want to force her.

"Thank you all, for all of your gifts. And for being here. It means a lot to us" Loki said and stood up, with Cara next to him, smiling. "And thank you, for everything you have done for us"  
"We wouldn't be here, if it wasn't for you" Cara said and Loki nodded, they both looked at each other, and Loki saw how emotional Cara become, and he felt the same.  
"We know all that already. We want to see you dance!" Clint said and for ones, Loki didn't want to hit him. Even if that didn't stop Natasha from doing it.

Loki took Cara's hand and lead her out on the dancefloor. He looked into her eyes, as he took her hand, placed the other one on her hip, as she placed her hand on his shoulder. Soon the music was playing and he started to lead her around on the dance floor. And when they had started, they soon were followed by the others, but Loki only had eyes for Cara, feeling like she was the most beautiful woman in the world, and she was his, and he was hers. Loki leaned forward and kissed her, as he picked her up, and spinned her around again. And he could have been spinning forever, if it wasn't for the fact that the twins wanted to dance with Cara. Loki smiled towards them.  
"Take good care of her" Loki said and the nodded.  
"We promise" they answered and Loki looked at them, before Frigga offered her hand and Loki smiled as he lead his mother around the dance floor.

"I am so proud of you" she said and Loki looked a bit puzzled as her. "For becoming the man I always knew you would be"  
"Thank you, mother" Loki said and smiled towards her.  
"And I was so touched, when you took my name" she said and Loki smiled again.  
"Even if I had two fathers who hated me, and never wanted me, I always had a mother who loved me. So I thought I would take your name instead" Loki explained. His mother had always meant so much to him. She had always believed in him, and loved him, even if she hadn't understood him, and even after everything he did. "Thank you for always being there for me"  
"There is nothing to thank me for" Frigga said and kissed his cheek before she looked at Cara. "I think you need to save her from a dance with Thor"  
Loki only nodded before he went over to save Cara, but then he stopped, gave her a teasing smile as Thor took her out on the dance floor. Cara gave him a challenged look, but Loki just smiled, until Natasha wanted to dance with him. Loki looked very unsure at her.  
"I promise to be gentle" Natasha joked, trying to lighten the mood, and Loki slowly nodded as he took her hand.

"Here I am, dancing with a man that wanted to kill me a few years ago" Natasha said and Loki looked at her.  
"I remember you wanting to kill me too" Loki answered.  
"You started it" Natasha said with a smile.  
"Touché" Loki answered her as he spun her around.  
"We are all proud of you Loki, and you may be sick of hearing it, but it's true" she said and Loki smiled.  
"Thank you." He said "I am glad to be able to call you, my friends"  
"As are we" Natasha said as she stopped and before Loki had time to react, Natasha had handled him over to Cara.

"I can't even describe how I feel" Loki said to her and Cara smiled.  
"Sometimes, you need no words" Cara answered him, as she kissed him, and ones again, Loki felt like he was caught in a storm. Loki pulled her closer, wanting to have her closer, so close he could, and Cara laughed as they parted.  
"Hold out a few hours, and I will get closer than that" she teased and Loki couldn't stop from blushing slightly. "As long as you wan…"  
Loki didn't give her time to finish the sentence, before he kissed her again. He may be nervous, but he didn't want her to think that he didn't want.  
"A few hours" he answered her.

* * *

Loki closed the door behind them, being sure to lock it, as he looked in the candle lit room.  
"Seems like the others wanted to surprise us" Cara said and looked at the room. It was filled with candles and roses. "And try to make us drunk"  
Loki looked at the champagne glasses, and took one as Cara handle it over. Cara looked at him, with a big smile before she laughed, and he looked a bit surprised, thinking he had something in his face.  
"I am just happy" she explained and Loki couldn't help himself from laugh too, also being happy.

Loki putted down his glass and took Cara's from her hand, and hugged her from behind. Cara leaned against him, and he smiled, happy being able to hold her again, without worrying about what would happen tomorrow.

He leaned forward, starting to kiss her on the neck, down her shoulder, and he smiled when he heard a moan from her, and felt how she leaned into his touch. Before she stopped and Loki thought he had done something wrong for a second before she turned around to face him.  
"Loki, before we do anything, I must tell you that you don't need to do this, if you don't feel ready. I have told you before, I can wait" Cara said and Loki smiled, knowing how hard it was for her to stop herself from keep going. But he was touched that she thought of his feelings first, as she always did. That was one of the reasons he wanted to do this, to make her happy.  
"I want to do this" Loki said and leaned forward, almost touching her lips. "You don't need to wait anymore"

Loki closed the distance between them, feeling her lips on his, before he asked for permission with his tongue, which she soon gave him. He felt her hands in his hair, and how she pulled him closer. Which made him react, showing her up against the wall, harder than he had thought and he stopped for a second.  
"Sorry" he said and Cara smiled.  
"Nothing to be sorry for" She told him and he started to kiss her neck again, working his way down towards her breasts. Loki soon heard her moan again and ones again smiled. He hadn't known how much he had missed hearing her moan.

He felt her hands in his hair again, and how they were tracing down his back, before they went up, and she took of him his jacket, and he took of her veil, throwing it somewhere, he didn't know. He kissed her on the lips again, as he looked hands with her, pressing her up against the wall, feeling her so close to him. He felt how he was already starting to become hard, but he wasn't surprised. Just seeing her, could do that to him, and now when she was in his arms, he didn't know how he had hold back so long.

Suddenly she spun him around, making him have the wall against his back, making him remember how he was never in control, when he was with her. It was always a battle over control, to see who would give in first. And he wasn't sure if he had won ones. Loki felt how her hands starting sliding down his sides further down, stopping just above his trousers.  
"I can stop whenever you want, just tell me" she said and Loki met her eyes, feeling like fire was burning in his eyes.  
"If you stop, I don't know what I will do with you" Loki said and Cara smiled as she let her hands start wandering again. He felt how they wandered down his thighs, to slowly working their way, up on the inside, almost touching his cock, teasing him, before they kept going upwards. Her nails were gently scratching his sides, giving him goosebumps, before they stopped on his chest. Cara leaned forward, biting his lip.

Loki found the zipper to her dress, and slowly started to pull it down, to teas her, but she didn't seem to bothered. Instead she started to unbutton his shirt, as slowly as he did it, and he almost cursed himself for doing it slowly. But he was conflicted, because as fast as he wanted to have her closer, he didn't want to let her win. When his chest become bare she started to kiss it, working her way down to his nipples. He soon felt her teeth playfully playing with one of them, and he felt like a shock went down to his erection. He pulled the zipper all down and looked at her. He asked her of permission, some part of him was a bit ashamed to admit that he actually was a bit scared. Because even if he wanted her, he was afraid of having her. Afraid after everything that happened to him, and to her. And he wanted to make sure that she was sure what she was doing.

"Shall I do it, or do you want to do it?" Cara asked and Loki smiled towards her, as he slowly let his hands wander under the dress, slowly pulling it upwards. Letting his hand walking over her breasts, without really touching them, only teasing her. Loki felt how she wanted more, but he didn't want to give it to her yet. He pulled the dress over her head and let it fall to the floor, together with his shirt. Loki looked at her, and even if she still was dressed in her underwear, he still felt like he was drowning again, just looking at her. And Loki met her eyes as she smiled, teasingly, as she kneeled in front of him. Her hands were slowly making their way down to his pants. He felt how she started to unzip the zipper, as her lips were breathing warm air on his erection. Loki gently dragged his hand in her hair, as his pants and boxers felt to the floor, he stepped out of them with his shoes and socks.

Cara slowly let her hands walk upwards again, as she started to stand up, making her hand, gently touch his cock on the way up to his chest again. Loki looked at her, not being able to stand there anymore, lifting her up and walking over to the bed.  
"Someone is impatient" Cara said with a laugh and Loki looked down at her.  
"You can hardly blame me, after being away from you so long" He said as he started to kiss her neck, down towards her breasts, biting her lightly, down towards her stomach. "And to finally have you here with me again"  
"Oh I don't blame you, sweet Loki" she said, almost purring. Loki just smiled as his hands found the lock on her bra, and she took it off, as he contained downwards.

Loki smiled when he got to her trousers, teasing her, by kissing her on the outside, as his nails was scratching her inner thigh. As she moaned, he felt how another wave went through him, down to his erection. Loki looked at her as his hands started to play with the line of her underwear. Cara nodded and he slowly started to pulling them down, taking them off with her tights and shoes. Loki looked at her, smiling as he saw how beautiful she was, and he almost forgot what he was doing, until Cara laughed.  
"Sorry" he said, blushing a bit.  
"Nothing to be sorry for, I have been staring at you too"

Loki leaned forward again, making his lips meeting hers as his finger wandered down, to her cunt.  
"Let me take care of you for ones" he said and Cara only nodded as his fingers soon founded her clitoris, starting to rub it. And when he heard her moan, he felt proud. Proud that he could make her this happy, and reacting this was. He really wanted to take care of her, wanting her to feel pleasure, and to show how much he cared about her. Loki kissed her before he went down to play with his tongue, as one of his hands found her breast, and started playing with that. Loki smiled again when he noticed how much she reacted to him. And as she reacted he reacted too, feeling how his body reacted to hers.

Loki slowly made his fingers go in her, careful to see how she reacted, not wanting to hurt her. But when she soon called out his name.  
"Loki"  
He knew that he didn't need to worry more. Having her under him, making her body react to what he was doing, made him forget everything else, except Cara. The only think that mattered to him was making her feel good. And when he felted how her body started to close around his fingers, her breathing become heavier, and how she bit her lip, and her hands grabbed the sheets, before she got her orgasm, just as she said his name ones more, and relaxed.

Loki smiled towards her, as he whipped his lips before he kissed her, and she smiled the biggest smiled towards him.  
"Thank you" she said and he laughed a warm laugh.  
"There is no need to thank me" he said and she laughed too.  
"There is so many reasons to thank you" she said before she met his eyes. "Are you ready to get yours?"  
"Are you sure?" He asked, actually a bit nervous. The past year had never been about him, it had been about everyone else feeling pleasure.  
"Silly question. As much as this is about me, it's about you" she said and Loki smiled, before he kissed her. He soon deepened the kiss, as he placed himself above her. He felt how warm she was between her legs as he soon entered her. And it was like she was made for him. At first Loki didn't do anything, looking at Cara.  
"I will not break" she said and Loki smiled as he soon dared to move, and to actually think a bit about himself. Cara seemed pleased about that, as she putted her legs around his back, her hands went up towards his hair and their lips soon locked again. He felt how she followed his rhythm, wanting it to feel good for him, and it did. He felt the pleasure raise in his body, and he soon moaned. Cara deepened the kiss as he moaned, and he raised the speed, as she pressed herself against him.

Loki couldn't feel disappointed when he felt that he came. He didn't care how long it lasted, since all he felt was pleasure, not only because it felt good for him, but also because it felt good for Cara. He looked down at her, as he tried to catch his breath, and to stop smiling. He slowly pulled out before he crashed beside her. Loki just stared at her, taking her hand, kissing her finger tips. He didn't have any words to say. All he felt was happiness, joy, and like he was loved. He couldn't describe how happy he was. He even thought it was worth going through the hell he had gone through to get here, to be able to be with Cara.  
"You know that I won this time?" Loki teased and Cara looked at him, smiling.  
"Well don't make a habit out of it" she teased back, throwing a pillow at him, and Loki stopped her when she was about to throw another.  
"I love you" he said and pulled her closer.  
"I love you too" she said embracing him. "But what about a shower?"  
"Shower sounds good, but bath sounds better" He said as he lifted her up in his arms, and she laughed.

* * *

"Do you think the others heard us?" she asked and Loki looked at her.  
"Don't care if they did. And I don't think they expected anything else" Loki said which made him look to the celling. "Jarvis, if you taped this for Tony, I will destroy you, and Tony!"  
"I did no such thing, even if mister Stark wanted me too. I could never dishonoured a lady like that" Jarvis answered and Cara smiled.  
"Thank you Jarvis" she said and Jarvis only hummed in response before he left them alone.  
"So we are safe from Tony. And as long as the twins didn't hear anything I am happy" Loki said as he put her down in the bath.  
"I am sure that the others are making sure that they are far away" Cara answered as Loki joined her in the tub.

* * *

When Loki walked out from the bathroom, Cara was looking at the apple, and he walked over to her. Hugging her from behind.  
"I will not force you to eat it" he said and Cara nodded.  
"I know you want do that" she answered him. "It's just that I have never imagine being immortal"  
"It's your choice" Loki said. He would be happy, knowing that she would never be able to die, but it was a huge step to take. He was born like it, she wasn't.  
"I am just scared of what can happen if I don't die" she whispered and Loki looked at her. He understood what she thought off, but he had never thought like that.  
"You can become mortal again, if you want" Loki said and she nodded.  
"I know." She answered and Loki wanted her to say something "It's just knowing that if I can't die, everyone around me still can. And it's hard to see people die like it is, already. But knowing I can't die, may make me feel sad. Then I can't hope to see them in the afterlife, or something"

"You would have me" Loki said, trying to comfort her.  
"I will have you, that's why I am thinking of eating it. Because it means that I don't need to say goodbye to you again" she said with a smile, looking at him.

"Take your time. No matter what you do, I will always be here" Loki said and Cara nodded looking at the apple again. Loki had no idea what she thought. If he was enough reason for her to live forever. Because he knew how she felt, saying goodbye to people was never easy. But being forced to see everyone you love dies away from you, him being the only one left. Loki almost wanted to tell her that he wasn't worth it, when she grabbed the apple and eat it. Loki looked at her.

"The fear from seeing other dies, shouldn't stop me from being with you forever. They would most likely die away from me anyway. And it will break my heart, but knowing that I will always have someone to return to, will make it easier. To know that I will not need to die alone" Cara said and leaned forward, kissing him. "I love you, and I want to be with you forever"  
"I will gladly spend an eternity with you" Loki said as he pulled her down, into the bed, next to him, and embraced her.


	34. Not alone anymore

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we are, at the final chapter. I must admit that I was a bit sad to write it. I have had so much fun with this story. Even if fun may be the wrong word to use. I have enjoyed writing it at least.
> 
> I am sorry that it's a short chapter, but I just wanted to end it on a new blade. But don't worry, it will be a sequel. But here is the sad part, for you, maybe. The sequel will be the last one in the Cara story. But for that one to make since, I need to write and publish some of the other stories I have written with her over the years. You see I will use some characters from other stories. So before I write the sequels, I will write those stories. I promise to write them as fast as I can. Writing more then one a time. So I can't promise you when it will be a sequel. But I can tell you that I will most likely translate the first part from swedish to english. So hope you survives, and well if you like Cara you can read some of the other stories.
> 
> So done with that information. I am also sorry if Tony feels a bit out of character here, and if the ending is a bit boring, and romantic. Hope you survive that.
> 
> Anyway I just want to thank everyone that has read the story! You surport has meant a lot to me, and I am glad that you have liked it! Hopefully you will like the other ones too! All love to you!
> 
> And for the last time, I say; enjoy!

"You know that you are allowed to stay here, right?" Tony said a bit disappointed. Cara stood next to him with a box in her arms.  
"We know that Tony" she said and put the box down. "But we felt like we needed a place of our own"  
"Why?" Tony asked.  
"Yeah why? Who are going to cook for us now?" Clint asked and Tony hit him in the head.  
"Well that's one reason" Cara said with a smile, as Loki walked out from the room.  
"Tony, I have never lived alone before. When I lived in Asgard, I always had everyone around me. So I want to live with my family, alone for the first time" Loki said.  
"And we live only a few streets away, it's not like we move to the other side of the world" Cara said.  
"Well I hope not, because then I am going to drag you back" Tony said.

"That would be fun to see. Shall we move to the other side of the world?" Loki said and looked at Cara, who smiled.  
"Well it would be fun to see, but it would be such a trouble to have them over for breakfast"  
"We can come over for breakfast?" Clint asked and Cara laughed.  
"Sometimes, not every day!" she said and Clint looked a bit disappointed.  
"Oh well, I take what I can get" he said.  
"Clint, would you help me with some of this boxes?" Cara asked and Clint nodded as they walked off.

"Tony?" Loki asked and the other man looked at him.  
"Yeah?"  
"We will visit almost every day, or you can visit." Loki started, not knowing how to handle the situation.  
"It's just…It's just that I got so used having you guys around. It has been really fun. And I don't know. The others are great, but you and the kids, and Cara brings more life into this place" Tony said and Loki smiled.  
"You can always get a few kids of your own" He teased and Tony looked at him with big, almost scared eyes. "Or you can borrow the twins from time to time. I am sure they want to meet their uncle Tony"  
"Can I?" Tony asked and Loki nodded.  
"Yes you can. As long as you don't get them to hyped before you return them" Loki said and Tony smiled.  
"Wait until I tell them about Easter" Tony said as he took a box and went after the others.

* * *

 

Loki looked back at his old room, he was going to miss it, but he felt like he needed to start something new. And it was only part of the truth, that he had never lived alone. He also knew that even if the tower had a lot of great memories, it also had a few haunted ones. And he felt like he needed to live in a new place, where he could create new, only good memories. And visit the tower, and remembering the good ones.

"Loki?" Cara asked as she got back, looking at him a bit worried. She was always looking after him, knowing that even if he was better this days, you could still get triggered by some memories.  
"Yes?" Loki answered, looking at his wife with a smile. He got happy every time, he thought of her as his wife.  
"Are you ready?" she asked and he nodded and took her hand as he walked towards the others.

"So everything is in the moving van" Steve said.  
"Why don't you just use magic?" Clint asked and Cara sighed.  
"Because we wanted to do it the normal way. Because Loki has never done it this way, and he still need to learn so much about life on earth. So we can't use magic to solve everything" Cara explained, for what felt like the hundred time.  
"Yeah, yeah. You are soon going to realise that normal life sucks Loki" Clint said, but then smiled "So welcome to earth for real"  
"Thank you" Loki said as they stepped into the elevator.

* * *

 

"How on earth did you afforded this place?" Tony asked when they stepped into the big penthouse. It was on the 30th floor, had 8 rooms, a balcony and a glass roof for most rooms, and a helipad to park Tony's wedding gift.  
"I have money" Cara asked when they looked at Loki.  
"Did you think I had murdered the last owner and taken over it?" Loki asked.  
"More like mind controlled them, and made them write it in your name" Clint said and Cara just rolled her eyes.  
"But seriously, do you have any money left?" Tony asked, a bit worried.  
"Oh I have a lot left. When you live for a hundred of years, you save some money. And well people have given me a lot of money after they passed away. And I put everything in one account, so I can use them in whatever world I am in" Cara just said.  
"She may be richer then you, Tony" Natasha teased.  
"No way!" Tony said and then looked at Cara "Or?"  
"I will not tell" Cara just said with a teas as she walked over to the kitchen. "So how about a first meal in the new apartment?"

* * *

 

Cara smiled when they all sat in the dining room, eating, laughing, telling stories and having fun, like always. She knew it would be a bit empty, when they all went home. But she also knew that it was better with their own place. The twins could grow here, feeling like it was their home. Loki would also get a home of his own, building a new home with her. And she would have a safe place to always return to, since they could, more or less live here forever. And if she needed to leave, she could do it without too much trouble, or too much goodbyes. She had never liked them, and since she knew that she would come back here, it didn't need to be made a big deal. Cara looked at Loki, smiling, being happy that this was their new home.

"Are you sure you will be alright?" Steve asked and Cara looked at him.  
"I promise that we will be alright. Will you be alright?" Cara asked.  
"No" Clint asked and she laughed.  
"I have placed boxes with food in the freezer" she told him and Clint smiled.  
"I will be back when I have eaten them" he said and Cara raised an eyebrow.  
"He will not" Natasha said and gave Clint a series look.  
"Thank you" Cara said.

"I will keep your rooms ready, for whenever you visit" Tony said and smiled towards them.  
"Thank you Tony" Loki said.  
"We will use them, promise" the twins said and Tony looked at them.  
"I hope so. See you this weekend, we have a new video game coming out" Tony said and the twins looked at Loki and Cara.  
"You can spend the weekend with your uncle Tony" Loki said and the twins smiled, hugging them as thanks. Before they looked at the others, waved goodbye and run towards their room. They had bought an apartment so the twins could get their own room when they wanted it. But as it was now they preferred to chair, and neither Loki or Cara would force them to split up, until they wanted. But both Cara and Loki knew that they would want their own room when they got older, especially when they become teenager.

"So see you tomorrow?" Tony asked and looked at them.  
"We will be over at date night" Loki said. The others had more or less forced them to join in on their monthly date night, and they would meet Bruce new girlfriend tomorrow.  
"Good, if you are not coming, we will come here" Jane said and Cara gave Loki a look, before both of them laughed.  
"Just laugh, one day we will be able to make a reality of the threats" Clint said and Cara just nodded.  
"At least you have a dream" she said and Clint was about to say something when Natasha interrupted him.  
"Can't you see that they want us to leave? We see them tomorrow, don't be such babies" she said.  
"Yes, they need some time alone" Peggy said and both Pepper and Jane laughed.  
"Oh that reminds me, I need to force Jarvis to give me a tape of your wedding night" Tony said.  
"Only if you want to die" Loki said and Tony looked at him.  
"I want to know how it is!" Tony said and Loki leaned forward.  
"I don't" Thor said and dragged Jane out of the door.

"Somethings are best not known, Anthony" Loki said and Tony looked at him.  
"But I want to know, after the sounds you both made, it must have been good!" Tony said.  
"I don't want to hear this either" Steve said and left with Peggy, and Bruce who excused himself.  
Neither Cara or Loki was bothered that the others had heard them, after they made sure that the twins hadn't. The others had ensured them of that, and that made them both happy.  
"It will only make you disappointed of not being able to do it yourself" Cara said and looked at Tony. "Do you really want to ruin the picture of how good you are? Knowing that whatever you do, you can never be as good as Loki?"  
Tony looked at both of them.  
"I hate you both" he said and started walking out of the apartment.  
"We love you too, Tony" Loki said teasing, and Tony just waved at them, as the rest of them left the apartment.

* * *

 

"Our own home" Loki said and looked around and Cara nodded.  
"It is" Cara said and looked through the roof, and at the stars, using magic, making it possible to see the stars from the flat, even if they were in the city.  
"Let's make some tea, and watch the stars" Loki said and Cara nodded as they went to prepare the tea.

Soon they sat in a window, drinking tea, and looking at the stars. Cara was sitting in between Loki's legs, leaning against his chest, and he was playing with her hair. She was telling him a story about how she wanted to be a star when she was a kid, and he was listening, glad to know something new about her. Loki soon felt that she was sleeping and he pulled a blanket around her, as he hugged her, and hold her closely. As he looked up at the stars, he was thankful for how everything had turned out, and that he should finally start living his life.


	35. Info

**Hello, the Ghost here!**

**Okay, I normally don’t do this kind of thing, but since I know that a lot of you read and liked this story, I wished to inform you that I have started to write the prequel to this in English. It’s called “** **If death isn't an option, then neither is freedom”. You can find it at my profile. I hope you will enjoy it, and well I will leave this here a short time, before I remove it. Take care everyone, and also thank you for reading this story!**


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